CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A powerful tribute to fallen heroes has come to Western New York this weekend, offering the community a chance to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
The Mount Calvary Heritage Foundation is hosting "The Walls of Honor" at Pine Lawn Cemetery in Cheektowaga from Thursday through Monday. The display features two moving memorials: The Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Gold Star Tribute Wall, which honors those killed in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
"The moving wall has over 58,000 names of soldiers that were killed in Vietnam, and then the Gold Star Wall has about 8,000 names of soldiers that were killed in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars on them, so a huge amount of names that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country," Megan Hahin said.
Hahin serves as executive director of the Mount Calvary Heritage Foundation.
Samuel Micoaro, founder and president of the Tribute to America's Fallen Foundation, emphasized the significance of the memorial.
"The cost of freedom is this 7,200 names on this memorial is the cost of freedom that we enjoy on a daily basis," Micoaro said.
The display also features special tiles created by Cheektowaga Middle School students in their art class as a service project. Visitors who find their loved one's name are welcome to take a tile as a keepsake when they leave, according to organizers.
For Kay Feller, a Gold Star sister and Blue Star mom whose brother's name appears on the wall, the tribute carries deep personal meaning.
"A veteran told me a while back that you die twice in this life. The first time when your body dies, the second time is the last time someone says your name. When people come and they see these names, whether they say them out loud, they thank them, they acknowledge them. Their names are always remembered," Feller said.
The Walls of Honor will be open for viewing 24 hours a day until Monday at 4 p.m.
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