Young and old walked, rode and drove Monday morning to Culpeper National Cemetery for the first public Memorial Day Service since 2019.

Hundreds of patriotic Americans stood and sat in the historic burial ground to remember and honor the men and women who died in service to country.

There were prayers, music, wiping away of tears and a strong sense of camaraderie among the many veterans assembled. Old Glory waved proudly as friends and families clutched hands and remembered.

Fauquier resident Molly Brooks, whose late father served in Vietnam, gave keynote remarks. She co-founded Hero’s Bridge, a Warrenton-based nonprofit that serves elderly veterans.

She witnessed the devastating impacts of Agent Orange exposure on her father, a Marine Corps veteran. Married to an Army Desert Storm veteran, Brooks saw the unmet needs older veterans faced.

It led her to create the organization that provides practical and essential services for aging heroes such as safe housing and access to health care, benefits and technology.

Addressing the veterans, she said, “I know every day is Memorial Day for you… I know you carry a list on your hearts and minds of the brothers you lost in battle.”

She added, “To all the Gold Star families in attendance, today the rest of us gather beside you sharing your loss and your remembrance.” Read the article.