Ceremony in Mt. Lebanon honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice
MT. LEBANON (KDKA) - On this Memorial Day, we take time to pause for all the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Under a sunny sky, brass instruments echoed off the South Hills of Mt. Lebanon.
"I kind of usually get choked up when you think of those you knew and those that made the ultimate sacrifice," Mt. Lebanon Fire Chief Nick Sohyda said.
Underneath Old Glory, the names of the fallen glistened by the dawn's early light. Poppies contrasted the dark uniforms of the firefighters -- a system to show support for the families and memories of a soldier's sacrifice.
"If we don't remember the sacrifices of those who made them, we may have to end up doing it again and again," retired Army Colonel Carmen DiGiacomo said.
In all, more than 90 of Mt. Lebanon's neighbors have given their lives for this country since World War I -- just a fraction of what the Pittsburgh area has contributed to the cause for freedom.
"I often think about getting old and all those young men and women who didn't get the chance to grow old defending our freedom," Chief Sohyda said.
Taps whispered above the warm morning air while some put their hands over their hearts and others gave a salute to their fellow soldiers.
"They felt that they had an obligation to defend our country, defend our freedoms and defend our way of life," Chief Sohyda said.
"People that were part of their lives miss them," DiGiacomo said.
For at least this one day, we remember all gave some, and some gave all.
While many people remember the sacrifices of the fallen on Monday, speakers say we should continue to honor them every day to remember the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.