KENDALL, Fla. – Despite the gloomy weather and the pandemic, people wearing facial coverings and keeping their distance placed flags on gravesites, remembering the fallen heroes at cemeteries all across South Florida.
"We are here to remember those who are no longer with us," Roger Snyder, Post Commander, Jewish War Veterans Post 243, said.
Jewish war veterans from Post 243 saluted and honored their fallen brothers and sisters.
"The point of Memorial Day is to remember those who have given their lives in defense of our country to give us the freedom that we have today," Snyder said.
It was more difficult because of the circumstances this year, but the veterans came out early Sunday to place flags at gravesites of nearly 200 military heroes buried at Mount Nebo at Memorial Gardens cemetery.
"Our whole mission is to ensure, despite COVID-19 and the weather and all sorts of things going on, that we are still going to honor our veterans who we served with and who have made the ultimate sacrifice," Jennifer Brande of Jewish War Veterans said.
David Maggidson, a veteran commander, has been placing flags in front of headstones for decades after his tour of duty. He would bring his young son along teaching him to respect the fallen.
"My son is a veteran and I am a veteran as well," Maggidson said.
His son followed in his footsteps and grew up to become a captain in the United States Army enlisting right after 9/11 and serving in Afghanistan.
Maggidson is thankful and proud of him as he remembers the countless other men and women who didn’t get the chance to come home.
"It’s our obligation, it's our honor to do this for all veterans. We thank everybody for remembering the veterans on this day."
In Lauderdale Memorial Park cemetery in Fort Lauderdale there is a veterans' garden with a very important message inscribed here, which reads "Freedom Isn't Free."
This Memorial Day, we thank those that lost their lives so that we have the freedoms that we do today.