NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Honoring America’s brave men and women was more difficult this year as people practice social distancing.
Pat Barnard and Linda Wallace lost their loved one, Billy, in Bagram, Afghanistan and have reflected on his sacrifice for the last seven years.
“He was a father, he was a son,” Barnard said.
However, this year they couldn’t attend the Memorial Day event at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery. Some still showed up hoping to attend the ceremony not knowing about the change.
“I think it would have been really sad to have gotten to the gate and found out you couldn’t come in to honor your loved one,” Barnard said.
They said no matter what, they will continue to show up for Billy and all the other men and women.
“I wanted to lay the flags down on Wednesday when they were going to have the flag ceremony, but they canceled that. I mean, I’m still here. I would come every year,” Wallace said.
This year’s turnout to visit the cemetery was a lot smaller.
“There’s a huge crowd here usually,” Barnard said.
Guests said they’ll do what they can to honor those who gave everything.
“It’s important though, even now to honor the men and women that fought to give us the freedoms that we have even though we don’t feel as free right now. We still have freedoms that other people don’t have,” Brad George said.
People brought flags, flowers, and balloons to lay on the resting sites.