(CNN) Christian resting by his father's grave on Memorial Day.
"I hope for you to come back soon, daddy," Christian Jacobs of Hertford, N.C. said while resting beside his father's grave at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday. Dressed in his own miniature Marine uniform, Christian became emotional while reading his heartfelt message to his dad. "I love you and hope for you to be here," Christian said. Marine Sgt. Christopher James Jacobs died in a training accident in 2011, leaving behind his wife Brittany and their son Christian. The Marine served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Christian was only 8 months old at the time of his father's death. "And he is always watching over me and makes sure. He's proud of me," Christian said
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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW)- Many veterans and their families gathered at the Topeka VA hospital this Memorial Weekend to honor fallen heroes for the annual Ride 4 the Fallen event.
This event is now world wide for the first time. Founder of the Military Veteran Project Melissa Jarboe says rides on Saturday were also in Okinawa, Japan, and Landstuhl, Germany. With pictures in hand, Ride 4 Fallen participants honored fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Saturday, one by one, they read off more than 70 names of who they were riding in honor of. Jarboe started the third annual event. Her husband, Sgt. Jamie Jarboe died of injuries he suffered at the hands of a sniper in Afghanistan. "You know, for me as a widow, it feels great to know that the women and men who fought with them and also died will never be forgotten," she says. "The true meaning is to remember those that paid the ultimate price and that is giving up their lives and protecting our freedoms," says Denise Farmer, mother and wife to veterans. Once motorcyclists got over to the Topeka Cemetery, they then received a penny. "And that penny is going to be placed on the grave-site and so they know that they are not forgotten," says Jarboe, "it's a great feeling of America and unity. United we Stand, Divided we fall Donate now VIew More Photos by clicking here The Washington Times - Tuesday, May 12, 2015 A veteran drove to the Phoenix VA headquarters and fatally shot himself in the parking lot Sunday night, police said.
Thomas Murphy, 53, arrived at the Phoenix VA regional office with a goodbye note and a gun, apparently intending to end his life, police said. The VA released a statement saying the death was under investigation, a local Fox affiliate reported. Brandon Coleman, a Phoenix VA employee who has been on leave since he came forward to blow the whistle on the lack of care for suicidal veterans, said he believed Mr. Murphy was trying to make a statement against the local VA. “I don’t think there’s anything more symbolic than to complete suicide on VA grounds,” Mr. Coleman told the Fox affiliate. “It’s an ultimate slap in the face to the VA, that something is wrong, to take the extra step to want to finish the act of suicide on VA property so that way you’re and they have to clean up the mess.” Mr. Coleman said he didn’t personally know the veteran, but “normally when this occurs it has something to do with the veterans claim or appeal not being worked correctly or a lack of much needed medical care.”“I think he would want to speak with us about this, I think it was an ultimate show of disregard and just frustration with a broken system,” Mr. Coleman said. |
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