FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - In honor of the various military men and women who gave their lives for our country, several ceremonies are taking place around South Florida.
Service men and women gathered on Miami Beach for a wreath-laying ceremony, Monday morning.
Several keynote speakers were brought in to talk about their service in the military, and they honored those they lost along the way.
“I just want to honor the memory of all those soldiers who died for our country,” said one man. “I feel very connected to them.”
Pembroke Pines saw a presentation of the colors.
“We’re here to honor the men and women who made that ultimate sacrifice to make our country great,” said an officer.
Another ceremony was held in Fort Lauderdale at Lauderdale Memorial Park, Monday morning. There, service men and women gathered to tell their stories and the stories of fallen comrades.
A gun salute was held, as well, and doves were released in honor of the deceased.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler reminded everyone that it is through the sacrifice of the service men and women that allows us to even have this day off.
“It should not be a day off, it should be a day on,” Seiler said. “It should be a day of thanking our men and women who served, thanking our men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, and really coming together as a community to recognize we don’t have these liberties, these freedoms, we don’t live this great quality of life but for their service.”
“Memorial Day is not about picnics or barbecues. It’s about the people that died in war,” said Vietnam War veteran Joe Vega. “We should be thinking about that.”
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