TAMPA, Fla. — On Memorial Day, we honor our U.S. military members who died while serving in the armed forces.
This Memorial Day, local Gold Star families were recognized at the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument along the Tampa Riverwalk.
That includes 8-year-old Harper Shellgren. Her mom, 10 Tampa Bay’s own Courtney Robinson, said keeping her father's memory alive and reflecting on his sacrifice is what today is about.
"I’m here to honor my grandpa, and his name was Lieutenant Coronel Craig Robinson," Harper said. "He loved his family a lot to fight for the country and make sure that we’re still free."
"All the time, I talk about my dad with my kids. I know my sister talks about my dad with her kids," Robinson said. "It's really important that his memory lives on and that they understand what duty, honor, and country really mean in our family."
Craig Gross was also among the Gold Star families recognized during the ceremony. His son, Corporal Frank Robert Gross, was killed in an IED attack in Afghanistan in 2011.
"Memorial Day is a one-day event of the year for most Americans. It's an everyday event for us," Gross said. "There is actually a saying that a soldier dies twice, the first time when he's killed in action, and then the second time when people quit mentioning their names. And just by the turnout that we have here today, I know that that's not going to happen, at least not in my lifetime."
The tribute drew people from across the Tampa Bay area who were looking to pay their respects and teach the next generation what Memorial Day is about.
"I learned how people have sacrificed their lives," Coco D'Antonio said. "I saw a lot of gold star families who gave their loved ones so that we could have freedom and keep freedom."
Monday's ceremony was organized by CRISP Tampa, a local veteran organization responsible for creating the Gold Star Family Memorial monument in Tampa.
On any day of the year, you can visit the memorial downtown, it's located at MacDill Park along the Tampa Riverwalk.