Gold Star families gather at Silver Dollar City
BRANSON MO NEWS: It was a time of respect and reflection at Silver Dollar City Sunday, as the park welcomed 300 Gold Star family members to a memorial service honoring 59 veterans.
While Edward Sandrick, director of the Humana Veteran Channel read out loud each of the 59 names, a member of the Branson High School Air Force JROTC Color Guard rang a bell while members of the Patriot Guard Riders stood watch with flags in hand.
Barbara Brooks, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, was one of the 300 Gold Star family members in attendance Sunday. Brooks’ son, Staff Sgt. Paul Brooks, a combat medic, was killed in action in 2009 during his second tour of duty in Iraq.
“He was a medic and loved what he did,” Brooks said. “He loved his family, his Army family, but Paul was all about his family, his wife and children, his siblings, his dad, his family.”
With the advent of social media, Brooks said she’s been able to continue to hear from people who knew her son.
“(They are) people who served with him, trained with him and can tell me stories and share,” she said. “It helps.”
Looking around before the memorial began, Brooks said she recognized some of the individuals in attendance, including Col. Gary Gilmore, a chaplain with the Missouri Army National Guard who led both the invocation and benediction.
“It’s sad that there are this many of us, and this doesn’t touch it at all,” Brooks said. “Every time I read of a soldier who lost their life, however it happens, my heart breaks, and it happens too often for so many different reasons. Our son would hurt for people like that.”
Missouri Lt. Gov. Michael Parson provided the opening words for the ceremony. A veteran himself, Parson spoke about the impact veterans make through …
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