PHOENIX — Monday, thousands of folks made their way through the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona to remember those willing to give it all.
For some, it was to keep memories alive.
“We come here with my mom on Facetime so she can visit her brother's grave,“ said Jaylin Baird.
Baird’s mother has dementia and lives in Idaho, but still remembers the sacrifice her brother made.
"It’s pretty spectacular. You can't help but catch the spirit," said Baird.
Memorial Day can also be a reminder of heroes who have moved on.
“I was 3 years old when I first met him. He’s always been the same," Bryan White said.
White's best friend Michael Glenn Mowery passed away in 2010. Mowery was a K-9 officer in Iraq who would sweep homes for explosives.
Bryan is keeping his friend's legacy alive through a tattoo on his forearm and making "Michael" his son's middle name.
“I wanted something alive to have a connection with Michael," said White.
For others, Monday is a reminder of the love of their life.
“Well, I miss lots of things, but I suppose it’s hugs and kisses,” said Shirley Hill.
She was in the cemetery for her husband Paul. The two started seeing each other when she was just 15. Now at age 88, she sits graveside missing him.
"I would love another 50 years or more,“ Hill said.
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