Dearborn city officials honor 347 fallen service members on Memorial Day
With "Taps" echoing through the crowd, a choir singing and the names of 347 fallen service members read aloud, Dearborn paused on Monday to honor the men and women who never made it home.
This year's grand marshal, Capt. Houssain "Sam" T. Sareini, says Memorial Day is about something much deeper than ceremony.
"Every name engraved on a memorial, every headstone marked with a flag represents a story, a story of a son, a daughter, a parent, or a friend, someone who grew up in the neighborhoods just like ours, someone who once had plans, ambitions, and a future to serve," said Sareini.
Sareini says the day serves as a reminder of the men and women who gave their lives for something greater than themselves, while also honoring the families who still carry that loss.
For Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the day is personal.
"I'm the wife of a veteran, and we lost people we love in service to our country in Afghanistan over 10 years ago while my husband was serving, so this day is a very somber for my family, in recognition of all the families who've given so much that we can live in a democracy, like we do," said Benson.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the city works to ensure the sacrifice of those 347 service members is never forgotten, through memorial projects, public tributes and the city's longstanding Memorial Day tradition.
"True remembrance requires more than acknowledgment; it demands a renewed promise to never overlook the weight of their sacrifice," said Hammoud.