5.23.2026 Gold Star Family Candlelight Vigil

Light Vigil here at Veterans Memorial Bicentennial. Sixth Gold Star Families Candlelight Vigil here at Veterans Memorial Bicentennial Park. Tonight is not about celebration.

Tonight is about remembrance. Tonight is about honoring the lives of the men and women who never made it home and recognizing the families who continue carrying that sacrifice every single day. As darkness settles around us and these candles begin to illuminate, the night we are reminded that remembrance itself Tonight, we are reminded that remembrance itself is a sacrificed

responsibility. Each flame represents a light, a memory, a sacrifice, a family forever changed. And while Memorial Day weekend brings ceremonies, parades, and public gatherings throughout our city, tonight is quieter.

Tonight is personal. Tonight belongs to the families whose lives were forever altered by war. were forever altered by war. It belongs to the mothers and fathers who buried their children, the husbands and wives who carried on alone, the sons and daughters who grew up without memories instead of moments, and the brothers and sisters and friends who still feel the absence of someone they

loved. As a combat veteran, I can tell you something that every veteran should understand. The cost of war does not end on the battlefield.

does not end on the battlefield. It continues in the silence afterwards.

It continues in folded flags handed to families, in photographs placed beside candles, in empty seats at holiday tables, in names etched into memorial stone. And yet despite the pain, families continue to gather, communities continue to remember, member and Americans continue to honor those who gave everything for this country.

That matters to me, especially this year as our nation commemorates 250 years since its founding, because America did not reach 250 years through comfort or convenience. It was carried forward by generation of ordinary Americans willing to sacrifice for something greater than themselves. Some came home forever changed.

Some never came home at all.

Tonight we remember them, tonight we remember every generation of Americans who's answered the call, from the Revolution to the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Global War on Terror. Fall River has answered the call in every generation, and tonight the city remembers them.

Tonight we gather. them tonight we gather in candlelight not because the darkness was one but because memory still burns brightly for those who gave everything for someone else for the young faces frozen in time the voices carried now only in memory the boots that marched forward never knowing they would not return home tonight these candles become more than wax and flame they become promises promises

that names will still be spoken. Promises that sacrifice will still matter.

Promises that this city will never forget its fallen. And while the years continue to pass and generations continue to change, the sacrifice duty of remembrance remains.

Because freedom is not inherent without cost. It was defended by ordinary Americans like you and me, who stepped forward during extraordinary who stepped forward during extraordinary moments.

Some were barely old enough to shave. Some had children waiting at home. Some never had the chance to grow old. Yet every one of them carried the weight of its nation upon its shoulders. Tonight, beside this wall, beside these candles, beside these families, we remember them not as history, but as sons, daughters, friends, neighbors, and heroes. And as long as candles continue to burn in their

honor, Neighbors and heroes, and as long as candles continue to burn in their honor, they will never truly be gone. Counselor Raposo, will you please come forward and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance?

Join me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Counselor Raposo. You guys, please forgive me. This is a, out of all the things I do over the Memorial Day week plus, this candlelight vigil is one of the most difficult. I have lost several friends in combat, so this is different for me. At this time, I would like to welcome forward Father Rob Ninkovich, to offer us tonight's invocation. At this time, I would like to welcome

forward Father Rob Ninkovich to offer us tonight's invocation.

Please join with me in prayer. Lord God, as we gather here this evening in this most sacred space with so many monuments honoring our heroic dead, we remember, honor, and pray. for those lives lost defending our country, fighting for freedom and justice throughout the world. We lift up in prayer the lives of those who sacrificed all they had for our freedom for our country

and to all the Gold Star family members as we show our love and support to you all. our love and support to you all for your tremendous painful sacrifice. Know that you are appreciated by a grateful nation. We ask, Lord, your blessings and grace upon them for the loss they have endured so we can enjoy the freedom that we have laying down their lives for others. As we remember and honor their sacrifice,

may we be faithful stewards.

of the heritage that they have entrusted to us. As they gave themselves to advance the ideal of world peace and justice, may they inspire our efforts towards this same end. This we ask in your most holy name. Amen.

Thank you, Father Robb. Father Rob.

Tonight, we especially recognize and honor Gold Star families, some in attendance here tonight.

No words can ever fully measure the weight carried by these families who's lost someone in service to this nation. And yet, despite unimaginable loss, so many Gold Star families continue supporting veterans, uplifting military families, and helping ensure their loved ones are never forgotten. Loved ones are never forgotten.

Your strength humbles this community. And your loved one remains forever part of the story of Fall River.

At this time, it looks like everyone has already lit their candles. I was going to ask everyone to light their candles. As this light spreads throughout the crowd tonight, may it remind us that remembrance lives on through all of us.

Please join me in a moment of silence.

before playing of taps this evening a friend of mine and Navy veteran Jeff Cernicki will now offer a poem entitled taps the importance of this poem is like a statement I read earlier this evening sometimes It's like a statement I read earlier this evening. Sometimes things from the battlefield follow us.

Jeff.

So, as always, I need to point out I'm alive today for my son, Liam, and in support of the Veterans Association of Bristol County and Doc Farris, every veteran out there. My poem was heard last year by Sergeant Barrett's mother. I didn't read it. My poem was heard last year by Sergeant Barrett's mother. I didn't read it.

She came up to me afterwards and inspired me to do it. I personally sought out this one. Due to circumstances, I never got to talk to my fallen shipmate's family. This is called Taps. We all know why. When we were boys and girls, we left our farms, our barrios, our apartments, and our mansions. We did it for patriotism, college, a place to fit in or to escape. We became electricians,

ship drivers, mechanics, and jacks of all trades.

We became soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, now guardians, and guardsmen.

At a moment's notice, we would turn in our families, our books, our tools, our futures, and our lives for a rifle, a tank, or a plane. Too many never came home. Others made it, but were forever different, and still others have struggled to move on. Today, they'll take the time to remember us and what we did, They'll take the time to remember us and what we did. But tomorrow, tomorrow they might

curse our existence. They might spit on our uniforms. They might twist our mistakes for their own purposes. Or they might take the benefits of our existence to further their own lives. But we don't hate them. We understand. We fought to give them those rights. All we ask is that they remember we were just boys and girls trying to become men and women. We were just students trying to become teachers. We were

apprentices trying to become masters. We are apprentices trying to become masters.

All we ask is that they continue to honor our dead, teach their children the stories of how and why they died. They may not remember or may not care for why they died, just remember they died for us. This is written in memory of Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Miller, USS Boxer, Red Sea Persian Gulf, Iron and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with him, he fell on watch. In memory of Sergeant Ronald

Kubik, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

In memory of Sergeant Jason Santora, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. They fell together saving women, children, and their squad members in Logar Province, Afghanistan. Earning the Silver Star.

And to all the families out there, thank you. And everybody, thank you.

Thanks, Jeff. Good job, Jeff.

at this time we will honor our fallen with the playing of taps by the city of

On Thursday, while we watched the Vietnam Memorial Wall behind us, the flags and grave officer placed a wreath at this monument, like many of the other monuments here in this park. With a total of 30 wreaths laid around the city, we remember all the fallen, all those that we have lost. At this time, I would like to offer Father Rob Nivkovich back up to do tonight's benediction.

Reverend Andy, I'm sorry. Reverend Andy Stinson. Uh, Reverend Andy, I'm sorry, Reverend Andy Stinson.

Join me in prayer.

Lord Jesus the Christ, you are the King of heaven and of earth, and it is you who shines light in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Tonight, we have come before you to lift up the one... Tonight, we have come before you to lift up the 1.1 million Americans that since 1776 have laid down their lives for this nation and their families.

That as they who died rose toward heaven, those families bore that grief, sank into that shock, left and lived with the confusion of the news and the loss of the worst day of their life as their warrior did not come home. life as their warrior did not come home.

It is their burden that we humbly beseech you to lift this night and to give us strength that as we depart this place, we too might be about the lifting of that burden and the caring of that grief. And so, Lord, illuminate this night, illuminate the darkness in our own hearts and our own and our intend their grief and give us the strength to do the same. Ease their sorrow. and

give us the strength to do the same, ease their sorrow, and give us the ability to do likewise, and instill in them the sure knowledge that no sacrifice so great has ever been offered in vain.

Let us go from this place with the awe of what has been given to us, and the respect and the care that those families so readily deserve, and that we are so willing to give.

And so we pray this night that your presence surround us in our comings and in our goings, and with all those who have gone before us and their families. In the name of all that is holy, we pray. Amen.

Thank you, Reverend Stinson. Another veteran, might I point out.

Another veteran, might I point out, also knows the pain of loss.

I've lost several Marine and Navy Corpsmen my time on active duty through the global war on terror. And one of the songs that I often have found myself listening to throughout the years, I'm going to share with everyone here before we close our program.

I'm just trying to be a father, raise a daughter and a son, be a lover to their mother. Be a lover to their mother, everything to everyone, up and out, bright and early, more business in my suit, yeah I'm dressed up for success, from my head down to my boots, I don't do it for the money, there's bills that I can't pay, I don't do it for the glory,

I just do it anyway. I just do it anyway, providing for our futures, my responsibility.

Yeah, I'm real good on the pressure, being all that I can be.

I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekend's been too strong.

I just work straight through the holidays, sometimes all night long.

You can admit that I stand ready when the wolf growls at night. And that I stand ready, when the wolf growls at the door Yeah, I'm solid, yeah, I'm steady, yeah, I'm tuned down to the core And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice Oh, and I don't wanna die for you, but dying's asking me

Ask of me, I'm a man that's crossed with honor, and freedom don't call free, I'm an American soldier, an American, beside my brothers and my sisters, I will probably take a plan, when everything is in jeopardy, I will always do what's right, I'm out here on the front line, Frontline, leaping here tonight, American soldier, I'm an American soldier, yeah I'm an American soldier.

an American Inside my brothers and my sisters I'm a pal and take a stand When I leave, I'm in jeopardy I will always do what's right I'm found here on the front line I'm living with me tonight I'm an American soldier I'm an American

an American, an American.

I'm an American, an American.

Reverend Stinson. Thank you, Father Rob, and everyone for being here. I thank you all again for gathering with us tonight. we came together not simply to mourn losses, but to honor sacrifice. We came together as families, as veterans, as neighbors.

as Americans. As long as we continue to gather like this, as long as candles continue to burn in remembrance, and as long as names continue to be spoken about, the fallen will never be forgotten. As our nation marks its 250th birthday, may we never forget that America was carried forward not only by famous names in history books, but by order. not only

by famous names in history books, but by ordinary Americans from cities like Fall River who answered the call to serve something greater than themselves. Many gave everything they had. May God bless our Gold Star families, our veterans, the city of Fall River, and the United States of America. Thank you all for being here tonight and may everyone return home safely.