Tupelo honors fallen heroes during annual Memorial Day ceremony
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – They crowded into the meeting room to remember, reflect, and pay their respects.
The city of Tupelo’s annual Memorial Day ceremony brings the community together in a show of unity and gratitude.
‘It is a small token of what we can do, ceremonies like today, we appreciate what our veterans have done for us,” said Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan.
“The cost of freedom is lives, that the American soldier, Airmen, Marines, Sailors, and we should not take that lightly, ever,” said James Wiggins, a USAF veteran.
Guest speaker Major Degratious Jenkins, who served with the Navy, the National Guard, and the Army, says Memorial Day is more than just a day on the calendar.
“There are a lot of sacrifices made for the freedoms we have, I know in this day and time there is a sense of entitlement, but I think it is important we recognize the sacrifices people made for us to have the freedoms,” Major Jenkins said.
Major Jenkins also said the holiday should focus on remembering those who returned home, carrying visible and hidden wounds. In fact, Major Jenkins says since he retired, he hasn’t been able to find life insurance due to a service-related condition.
‘When you look at them, they look fine, but it is really a tough life. They had to come back here, and you can’t do the same things you used to, because of sacrifices made, and the sacrifices were worth it, which is why we need to live a life worthy of it, but we can’t forget those that are here, those who suffer and need mental health care and healthcare,” Jenkins said.
Ashleigh Pharr is an Air Force veteran who now serves as the veterans service officer for Lee County. She helps connect veterans with those vital services.
‘This community is great, the program today is wonderful, we try and do a good job, my office, and Tupelo VA Clinic, there are so many resources, never enough, but we try and help men and women in the area who come back and need a little help to get back where they were before,” Pharr said.
Organizers encouraged everyone to make sure the legacies and memories of local heroes are passed down to the next generation.
The Memorial Day Ceremony is organized by The City of Tupelo and the Tupelo Parks and Rec Department.
