National Wreaths Across America Day in DFW: Remember, honor, teach

At the DFW National Cemetery on Saturday, service members, their families, and neighbors came together for the National Wreaths Across America Day.

Volunteers placed dozens of holiday wreaths on headstones to remember and honor fallen veterans.

It was one of more than 4,000 locations in the country where the same thing was happening.

"Just coming out here and seeing the families, the various organizations, seeing the cadets, you know, out here really running the ceremony, it just reminds you that there's a lot of good people out there who do care," said Lt. Colonel Eric Yost out of Fort Cavazos.

Yost, who grew up in DFW, was the event's guest speaker.

He said the day was also about honoring the families of those who serve.

"You face a different challenge as a family member, always on the move, adapting to new people, new places, and so many unknowns," Yost said during his speech.

Joanne Davis knows that reality: Her husband, Gary, served in the Navy in Vietnam.

“A giant of a man he was," she said. "I miss him so much."

He died in 2019 and it's now Davis' fifth year attending Wreaths Across America Day.

"As long as their name is said, they will never be forgotten," she said.

That's why volunteers are encouraged to say each name out loud as they lay wreaths of remembrance.

Davis' brother, John Shanor, reflected on the unity.

"It feels like coming together of America, basically," said Shanor, who has a son currently in the Air Force, and another in the Army.

Saturday's theme was not just to remember and honor, but to teach younger generations.

"We must teach them to appreciate and not take for granted our way of life. It is not a guarantee," Yost said.

Sean Beevers is learning that first-hand from his grandpa, even as he lays in rest.

“I can see him and lay the wreath, and it just feels good to me," he said.