Boston Celtics Honor Peabody Lt. Col. Tonia Costa As 'Hero Among Us'

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Lt. Col. Tonia Costa, the highest-ranking female officer in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, was honored as a Boston Celtics "Hero Among Us" at a game at TD Garden last week.

Costa was honored in the first quarter of the Nov. 1 game against the Indiana Pacers during "Seats For Soldiers" night celebrating veterans and those serving the country.

Costa served two deployments to the Middle East and more than 25 emergency missions across the country.

She also provided instrumental support during Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in 2012, during the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, and during the COVID-19 health crisis in 2020.

The Heroes Among Us program has recognized outstanding individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to their communities since 1997. The award is presented at every Celtics home game and pays tribute to the heroic achievements of these outstanding citizens.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)