Honoring the Fallen: A Memorial Day Reflection
Remembering the Cost of Freedom in the Home of Fort Bragg
Memorial Day holds deep significance here in Fayetteville, NC. As the home of Fort Bragg, this community is woven together by shared service, sacrifice, and stories of extraordinary courage. For many families in our area, this day is not just a long weekend—it is a solemn remembrance of loved ones who never made it home.
At TrueCare DPC, we pause this Memorial Day to honor those who laid down their lives in defense of our country and to acknowledge the enduring grief carried by those they left behind. As an Army vet myself, I know the quiet weight this day brings. I served with those who witnessed the worst of war and lost comrades to the lingering wounds of trauma long after the battlefield was quiet.
Honoring Those Lost in Battle—and Those Lost After
Some losses are marked by battlefield ceremonies. Others, no less devastating, occur in silence—hidden behind closed doors, or during what was supposed to be the peace of homecoming. One family I knew lost their loved one to suicide following a struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. That grief is just as real, just as heavy, and just as connected to the cost of service.
During my time as a physician assistant, I have cared for many service members and veterans battling invisible wounds, particularly during and after the Afghanistan withdrawal. I recall treating Soldiers overwhelmed with survivor’s guilt, moral injury, and the weight of memories they couldn’t put into words. One of those who died during that withdrawal was Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss, a PSYOP Soldier. Though I never met him personally, he was part of the same community I was once in before becoming a clinician. And while I didn’t know him personally, the loss felt personal. And I know many here felt the same.
Memorial Day and Mental Health: The Quiet Connection
While this day is not about the living, it inevitably brings up questions for those of us who remain. For some, grief reopens like a wound. For others, it’s a reminder of the importance of healing—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Memorial Day doesn’t just honor the fallen; it also highlights the invisible burdens carried by those still standing.
In primary care here in Fayetteville, I often see those burdens in the form of insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and a silent sense of disconnection. These are not just medical issues—they are stories of service still unfolding. As a clinician, I don't see a diagnosis; I see a person shaped by sacrifice, deserving of care that goes beyond symptom management.
To the Families Who Grieve—We See You
To the Gold Star families, the widows and widowers, the children who grow up with folded flags in their homes—we see you. We honor you. Your sacrifice didn’t end when your loved one’s service did. Memorial Day is for them, yes—but also for you.
A Final Thought from One Who Served
I didn’t see direct combat. But I served alongside those who did. And I carry their stories with me—some triumphant, some tragic. This Memorial Day, may we all take a moment to listen more deeply, honor more fully, and remember more reverently.
We don’t just remember their deaths—we honor their lives.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
(John 15:13 ESV)
