COUNCILOR MARC SILVESTRI
City Council, Revere, MA
Service: U.S. Army
Marc is a proud third-generation resident of Revere, growing up as part of a working-class, blue-collar family. His father was a union painter and worked in the Boston shipyard, instilling in Marc and his brothers a strong work ethic. Even at that young age, Marc aspired to be a leader captaining his football, track, and hockey teams before graduating from Revere High in 1997. Marc went on to play collegiate football at American International College before family responsibilities steered him into the workforce as a laborer with Local 22.
In 2006, Marc enlisted in the U.S. Army and deployed to a remote outpost in the mountains of Afghanistan from 2008-2009. During a patrol to disrupt the flow of Taliban movement, Marc and his platoon were ambushed, coming under fire from three sides. Marc was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his actions during the firefight, and two months later, he earned a Purple Heart when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his observation post. In 2011, Marc was medically retired from the Army with 100% combat-related disability and moved back to Revere.
Due to the visible and invisible wounds of war, Marc struggled with substance misuse, post-traumatic stress, and a traumatic brain injury in the years following his retirement. But as a person in long-term recovery, Marc knows that lives can be changed even in the darkest and most difficult times. Marc knows what it is to struggle, knows what it takes to overcome, and Marc knows how to help those who need it.
In 2017, Mayor Brian Arrigo appointed Marc as the Director of Veterans Services for the City of Revere. Marc works tirelessly on behalf of the veterans of Revere and their families to ensure that every person who puts on a uniform has the benefits and services they deserve. Over the last five years, the veteran service office has established more programs and opportunities for our veterans than at any time in Revere's history.
When the Covid-19 pandemic began, Marc’s dedication to the community was once again called upon when he was appointed a key member of the Revere COVID-19 Emergency Response Team. Marc helped create a program to provide basic needs and shelter to our homeless population, implemented a drive-thru veteran food bank, and in partnership with the Revere Health Department, hosted the first Covid-19 mobile testing at 123 Shirley Ave. Marc is a life-long resident of Revere and the grateful parent of two daughters: 18-year old Sienna, a dental technician student at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School, and Saige, a 6th grader at the Garfield Middle School.
Marc's life experiences and strong work ethic set him apart from the other candidates in the race. He knows how to overcome hardship and what it takes to help others do the same. Marc has dedicated his career to public service and is committed to getting in the trenches and fighting tirelessly for all who choose to call Revere home.