Memorial Day Archives - Page 4 of 40

May 24, 2025

North Texans gather for Carry The Load walk

North Texans remember veterans on Memorial Day weekend at Carry The Load walk

NBC-5

By: Katy Blakey

On this Memorial Day weekend, North Texans are gathering to remember those killed in service to their country.

Veterans, families and first responders gathered at Amon G. Carter Stadium Saturday morning to recognize service and sacrifice.

Participants walked 3.6 miles to the Fort Worth Police and Firefighters Memorial as part of a Carry The Load event leading up to Memorial Day.

“If you have someone you’re carrying, please tell their story and say their names so they can live in our hearts forever,” organizers told the crowd.

Started by two veteran Navy SEALs in 2011, Carry The Load is meant to bring back the meaning of Memorial Day. The non-profit has since grown into a nationwide movement to honor our nation’s heroes.

“I served in the Navy for 10 years,” said Jason Ash with Carry The Load. “[I] had some friends that I lost and, you know, didn’t make it home.”

“We like to walk with people because some of us are carrying that load of those they loved and lost and we want to keep their memory alive,” Ash said.

Watch the full story here.

May 23, 2025

‘Carry the Load’ memorial walk honors fallen service members

Greenville Journal

By: Megan Fitzgerald

More than 200 people participated in a memorial walk honoring fallen military, veterans and first responders at the Carry The Load Memorial May rally in Greenville County.

The fourth annual event sponsored by North American Rescue and Henry Schein was held on May 22. Attendees participated in a one-mile walk at North American Rescue’s headquarters in Greer. Andy Goldy, CEO of North American Rescue, said Carry The Load is not just a walk but a movement of active tribute.

“Today, we honor our nation’s heroes,” Goldy said. “We support our veterans and their families, and we remind ourselves that freedom is never free.”

Todd McCaffrey, secretary of the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs, spoke at the event about the importance of Memorial Day for remembering the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

“Those men and women literally carried the load for all of us, and I’m proud to join you here today as we recognize all of them,” McCaffrey said.

During the rally, North American Rescue honored the gold star family of the late Spc. Geoffrey Whitsitt, a Greenville native who died in service in 2010. The company, in partnership with Henry Schein and Carry The Load, also provided a $1,000 donation to Veterans’ Last Patrol, a local organization honoring veterans in hospice care.

“North American Rescue, we say it often, our mission is to save lives, but that mission doesn’t stop on the battlefield or in the line of duty,” Goldy said. “It continues on how we care for those who have served, especially in the final chapter of life.”

Carry The Load, a nonprofit organization, organizes events across the country to honor fallen heroes throughout the month of May. Matt Fryman, the nonprofit’s operations and events director, said it’s important to take the time to remember those men and women, to speak their names and to hear their stories.

“We want to ensure that no veteran ever dies a second death,” Fryman said. “The first one being when the last breath leaves their body, but we want to make sure that second death, when their name is spoken the last time, never happens and that their legacy lives on generations to come.”

View the full segment here.

May 23, 2025

Carry The Load’s Dallas Memorial March to draw thousands on Memorial Day

WFAA-TV

May 23, 2025

WFAA

May 23, 2025

Wiley X Honors Fallen Heroes as Load Master Sponsor of the 2025 Carry The Load Memorial March

Outdoor Sportswire

Wiley X, a longtime supporter of military and veteran communities, is proud to serve as Load Master Sponsor for the 2025 Carry The Load Memorial March, a powerful event held annually to honor and remember the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes.

As part of Carry The Load’s Memorial May Campaign, this nationwide initiative raises critical funds and awareness for organizations that support veterans, first responders, and their families. Wiley X will join thousands of participants on Memorial Day at the Dallas Memorial March, proudly walking in tribute to the fallen.

This year marks Wiley X’s third consecutive year supporting Carry The Load and its mission to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day. Standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow patriots, the brand reaffirms its commitment to those who serve and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

May 23, 2025

‘Carry The Load’ stops in Texarkana raising awareness for veterans’ sacrifices

KTBS-TV

TEXARKANA, Texas - Members of "Carry The Load" made a stop in Texarkana to spread the message about the true meaning of Memorial Day.

The non-profit is nearing the end of their month-long relay to Dallas.

Carry The Load is a little different this year, but their message is the same. The organization is focusing more on community events to help connect Americans to the sacrifices made by our military, veterans, first responders and their families.

The "Nationwide Teams Event" bus made a stop at the Truman Arnold Company on Robinson Road.

TACenergy has sponsored "Carry The Load" for the last 13 years by providing fuel for their fleet of buses.

“I think it's great for our company to show that we, as Americans, can come together and help sponsor each other, especially those who do pay the ultimate price,” said Jennifer Butcher, TACenergy.

“it's my way of recognizing all the heroes, whether they be military or first responders. I understand the weight that families carry,” said Andy Medrano, Carry The Load volunteer.

Money raised from the event goes to veteran charities and services.

All of the "Carry The Load" teams are traveling towards Dallas where the relay will conclude Memorial Day Weekend.

View the full article here.

May 23, 2025

Carry The Load to host Carry the Load Memorial May walk May 23

Mount Vernon News

Carry The Load has announced that its annual Memorial May walk will occur on Friday, May 23, at 9:30 a.m. at Mount Vernon Plaza on the Square.

According to Carry The Load, the annual Memorial May campaign unites thousands nationwide to walk in honor of fallen military personnel and first responders. Events are scheduled from April 28 through Memorial Day, with the organization aiming to restore the holiday's meaning through public participation, remembrance, and fundraising. This year’s fundraising goal is set at $1.5 million, with proceeds supporting mental health services, education, transition programs, and more.

Community members are encouraged to participate by registering individually or as part of a team, tracking miles, and fundraising. Events welcome individuals of all ages and backgrounds, including veterans, families, and civilians. Those unable to attend can contribute through donations. Media access is available upon request for interviews with ambassadors and b-roll footage. JPMorgan Chase serves as the national presenting sponsor alongside partners such as American Airlines and the VA National Cemetery Administration. Carry The Load allocates 93 percent of funds to its core programs.

Stephen Holley, co-founder, president, and CEO of Carry The Load and a veteran U.S. Navy SEAL said that "Carry The Load first started out of anger and frustration for a nation that we felt had forgotten the true meaning of Memorial Day." Holley added that since then their Memorial May campaign has helped provide healing for friends and family of the fallen while keeping their memories alive.

Carry The Load was founded in 2011 by U.S. Navy SEAL veterans Clint Bruce and Stephen Holley with the mission to restore Memorial Day's original meaning while honoring military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families. Initially a grassroots initiative, it has grown into a nationwide movement focused on uniting Americans through remembrance events and storytelling. The organization operates three main programs: Awareness, Continuum of Care, and Education; it allocates 93 percent of its total funds to these initiatives. Since its inception, Carry The Load has raised over $45.9 million dollars, hosted more than 50 community events across all 50 states and 29 countries supported 236 education programs engaged over 300000 participants.

View the full article here.

May 23, 2025

National nonprofit stops in Baton Rouge to honor fallen heroes ahead of Memorial Day

WAFB-TV

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - For Michelle Floril, healing from the loss of a close friend begins with walking and remembering.

Floril served in the U.S. Army Reserves alongside Staff Sgt. Kaigua “Kai” Kagiri, forming a strong bond.

In 2021, that bond was shaken when she received news that Kagiri had died by suicide.

“He sat with us, we joked and watched movies with my husband that evening, and Sunday morning, I got the call that he had taken his life,” Floril said. “Sorry if I get a little emotional, but it never goes away.”

It’s stories like hers that inspire Carry The Load, a national nonprofit dedicated to honoring fallen military members, first responders, and their families.

The group travels the country each May to raise awareness and funds for families dealing with loss and trauma.

Their latest stop brought them to Baton Rouge.

“We say there are two deaths. There’s one that’s physical, and the one that happens when people stop saying your name and telling your story,” said Rilea Stapf, who has walked with the group for the past 10 years.

Stapf and about a dozen volunteers gathered at the corner of Perkins Road and Acadian Thruway to continue their journey on foot. The Baton Rouge leg is just one stretch of a monthlong national relay that will end in Dallas with a weekend event that draws about 20,000 people.

“We encourage folks to come out, walk with us, share stories, whether it’s someone they knew personally or just a way to honor our heroes,” Stapf said. “It’s about remembering those who gave everything.”

Stapf said Carry The Load is about more than just one day of remembrance.

“We don’t think one day is enough to say thank you,” she said. “That’s a debt that can never be repaid. So, for the entire month of May, we spend that trek saying their names and telling their stories to make sure their families and friends know their sacrifice still matters.”

The group’s next stop is Lafayette, followed by Houston, before wrapping up in Dallas. According to its website, Carry The Load has raised more than $600,000 so far this year.

View the full article here.

May 23, 2025

Carry The Load stops for rally at Fort Cavazos

KDH-TV

A Dallas-based nonprofit made a stop at Fort Cavazos on Thursday as it nears the end of a nationwide walking tour to spread awareness about the true meaning of Memorial Day — and to raise money for several organizations that support the families of fallen troops and first responders.

Army leaders hosted the event at the 1st Cavalry Division Horse Detachment demonstration grounds, where the horse-mounted troopers would cap off the rally with a display of horsemanship and shooting skills. Fort Cavazos Garrison commander Col. Lakicia Stokes and retired former III Corps commander Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk were featured speakers.

“Carry The Load began in 2011 as a grassroots effort by two veteran Navy SEALs — what started as a 20 hour and 11 minute memorial march has grown into a national movement, a relay that spans thousands of miles from the West Coast, East Coast and Midwest, all converging in Dallas, Texas,” Col. Lakicia Stokes said in brief opening remarks. “Along the way, communities like ours pause to reflect, remember and recommit to the true meaning of Memorial Day. ... We remember, we honor and carry their legacy forward.”

According to the group’s ambassador Colton Morrow, the West Coast team’s trip started in Seattle on April 30 before traveling through California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and into Texas at El Paso. The eight team members took turns walking the whole 4,400-mile journey, sleeping in a tour bus bearing the faces of fallen heroes.

Meanwhile, three other teams journeyed from other points of the country to link up with Morrow’s group in Dallas, where they will hold a two-day event this weekend to commemorate Memorial Day. That event will include a memorial march along the historic Katy Trail and ceremonies in Reverchon Park.

“If you’ve ever wanted to cry on Memorial Day, come to Dallas because it is a very emotional and awe-inspiring event,” Morrow said. “Memorial Day is more than just one day — it means something. It’s not just hamburgers, hot dogs and a mattress sale, somebody gave their lives for the freedoms we have today.”

About 93% of the funds raised by Carry the Load go to the groups nonprofit partners like the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic and the Mark Divine Courage Foundation, as well as scholarships for family members of those killed in the line of duty.

View the full article here.

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