Memorial Day

Memorial Day is often seen as the unofficial start of summer—marked by barbecues, parades, and time spent with family and friends. But at its heart, this day is about remembrance. It's about honoring the brave men and women who laid down their lives in service to our country.

I am a documentary film producer, and my most recent film focuses on a highly decorted Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot from Wisconsin, and members of the 68th Assault Helicopter Company with whom he served. Captain Scott Alwin served five tours of duty in Vietnam. He didn’t die in a Vietnam and continued his service state-side. Unfortunately he was killed by a drunk driver while en route from the Georgia base where he was stationed to a meeting at the Army War College. He was a hero, one of the many, many heroes who have served our country.

We should never forget these heroes and we should never forget that the freedoms we enjoy, the peace we live in, and the opportunities we often take for granted were made possible by those who stood on the front lines, who ran toward danger so the rest of us could live in safety.

Today is not just a holiday—it’s a sacred moment to reflect on the cost of freedom.

We remember the soldiers who never came home. We remember the families who answered the door to see a uniformed officer delivering unthinkable news. We remember the children who grew up with a folded flag instead of a parent. We remember the friends who gathered around caskets draped in red, white, and blue. And we remember that every name etched on a memorial represents a real person—a life full of dreams, laughter, and courage.

Their sacrifice is not just history. It’s legacy.

It’s in the veterans who carry on with quiet strength. It’s in the service members currently deployed around the world, standing watch. It’s in every citizen who chooses to live with honor, respect, and purpose—because we know what others gave so we could be here, living this life.

Memorial Day also reminds us of unity. In times of division, it’s a day that brings people together, because honoring sacrifice knows no political party, no background, no difference. We all owe a debt to those who have died in the defense of this nation, and that debt binds us together.

So what do we do with that gift of sacrifice?

We live well. We love our families fiercely. We serve our communities with compassion. We speak with kindness. We stand up for what is right. And we never forget that freedom is not free.

To those we’ve lost—we will never forget you. Your lives mattered. Your sacrifice echoes in every flag that flies, in every note of “Taps,” in every prayer whispered at your gravesite. And to the Gold Star families here today, and everywhere across this country: we see you. We honor you. And we walk with you in remembrance.

In closing, I invite all of us to take a moment—not just today, but often—to pause and reflect. To look around at the lives we live and remember that someone gave theirs so we could live ours.

Let us honor them not just in words, but in how we live. In our gratitude. In our service. In our remembrance.

Thank you—and may we never forget the heroes who gave everything.