ST. GEORGE, Utah — Brick by brick, the names of those who have protected our nation are enshrined at a southern Utah park that salutes the country's military veterans.
"We fought for what we thought was right," explained St. George resident Ronald Gray.
Gray said he also fought in Vietnam for his family. On Monday, multiple generations of the Gray family looked with him upon more than 900 bricks honoring veterans with the names of men and women who have served the nation.
In 2011, the St. George retirement community of SunRiver built a Veterans Honor park. Its focal point is the bricks, which started with one and has since become hundreds..
"It makes me grateful that there's so many people that care because there's a lot of stuff that goes on in the world, and this renews that there's a lot of people that really care," Gray added.
'Dagger in the Heart:' Utah family’s heartfelt tribute shattered by cemetery vandalism:
"This is family. World War II, Korean War, World War I. A lot of wars," said SunRiver resident Wendy Sawyer. "I've got my husband. I've got my father. I've got my grandfather. I've got my uncles."
If the bricks weren’t enough, more than 400 gathered at the Honor Park for the largest Memorial Day event in southern Utah to show their appreciation.
"I'm originally from Germany and my father served in the German army during the Second World War," explained U.S. Air Force veteran Werner Balsterholt. "It's all about somebody saying, 'Go do your job,' and you volunteer and serve, and most of us did."
Balsterholt's father-in-law was headed for Vietnam when he was killed in a training mission.
The day was filled with music and remembrance for those who lost loved ones or friends, and even those who may have been strangers but fought for a common cause.
"Memorial Day means more to me than a lot of people because I was a combat Marine in Vietnam, and I've seen people die. And I carried their bodies on helicopters," explained Gray. "And so Memorial Day, I just remember those people that I knew and all the people I didn't know."
