50+ Lifestyles

PUBLISHER’S CORNER – Patriot Day

By David W. Deuth, CFSP
President, Weerts Funeral Home

Known now as Patriot Day, we take pause as we come to September 11, remembering with gratitude the patriots of our country whose lives were claimed during the 9/11 attacks. These senseless acts of terror and cowardice, now 11 years past, have reminded us in the days, weeks, months and years since that Americans are a strong people, resolved to cherish – and defend – our Freedom.

We are resolved to honor the lives – and the memories – of these patriots.

And we are resolved to let Freedom continue to ring out around the world.

As we remember and honor these 9/11 Patriots whose lives were heinously claimed on that otherwise clear September day, we must also take pause and remember our service men and women who have since answered the call to go and defend our colors…our freedom….and our Patriot’s memories.

Serving stateside and around the globe, soldiers from every walk of life and every branch of the Armed Forces have stepped up and stepped forward to defend our cherished freedom.

We must find ourselves forever mindful of their service.

Leaving family, friends and jobs behind, these brave men and women have stood in the gap on our behalf. Many have returned home to their families, for which we’re thankful. Many have returned home with life-changing injuries… and many have made the supreme sacrifice, for which we’re heartbroken.

We must find ourselves forever humbled by their courage.

We honor our nation’s heroes – victims, soldiers and veterans – this Patriot Day. We thank them for their selfless service. We pray for their families. And we pray for world peace.

We must find ourselves forever grateful for their sacrifice.

And, we must find ourselves forever grateful for this hard-earned American freedom. While we realize that ours is a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, we humbly say to our Patriots….THANK YOU.

We will never forget.

We will Remember Well.