Hundreds gathered at the Virginia War Memorial in RichmondMondaymorning to honor and remember the thousands of Virginians who have died serving their country.
Overlooking the James River, the Virginia War Memorial is a striking open-air monument, inscribed with the names of more than 12,000 Virginians.
“These fallen heroes come from all walks of life and from every corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. “From the eastern shore to southwest. From the Shenandoah Valley to southside. From Northern Virginia to Hampton Roads. They came from small towns and big cities.”
One came from Providence Forge. A 17-year-old who decided to enlist and needed his mother’s signature.
“I said ‘Well you’ve gotta convince me a little bit more than that,’” recalls Tisa Walker. “But when he told me he wanted to fight for his country that was it for me.”
So Walker, now a gold star mother, signed the papers. Her son went off to Iraq.
“My son was the type of person he was silly, he was comical. And if you didn’t know him when he walked into a room you knew him before he left. That was just his personality,” Walker said during an interview after Monday’s ceremony.
Walker’s son wanted to be a paratrooper. He loved his little sister and his work.
“He was just a wonderful person. And I don’t want people to forget. There are so many names that you can’t remember ‘em all,” Walker said. “But, you know, gold star mothers are here to reinforce and keep their sons and daughters alive.”
One name she hopes people can remember is her son, Sergeant Grant Petty. He died serving in 2008. He was 22.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
