Today, I want to begin by recognizing those who may be marking this day in different ways.
If today is your birthday, I wish you a very happy birthday.
If today is your anniversary, congratulations to you both.
And if you have lost someone on this day, please accept my deepest condolences.
Memorial Day means many different things to many different people.
For veterans, it is not a day for barbecues, fireworks, or sales. It is a day of reflection—a time to remember the friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and grandparents who made the ultimate sacrifice.
For others, Memorial Day can still be a day of family, rest, and celebration—and that is okay. All we ask is that you take just 59 seconds for a moment of silence to honor our fallen.
If you are curious about the meaning behind those 59 seconds, I encourage you to look it up. I will offer only this small clue: it is played on a bugle.
As we reflect on those 59 seconds, I want to take a moment to honor our Gold Star Families—the parents, spouses, children, and loved ones who carry the weight of loss every day. Your strength, your sacrifice, and your courage remind us that service is not borne by the fallen alone. Our community stands with you, today and always.
And to our fallen heroes—our friends, our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, and our grandparents:
I hope I have brought honor to your memory. I stand here today because I survived, while you made the ultimate sacrifice—not only for those you would never meet, but for something greater: the chance for others to live in liberty. No matter how history is written, your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Thank you.
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