05/30/2026
Thank you.
To everyone who showed up, laced up their boots, threw weight on their backs, and joined us for this year’s Memorial Day Ruck, thank you.
This year felt different. There was a presence among the group that is hard to put into words. Less distraction. More reflection. More connection. More purpose.
We carried the weight together, but we also carried memories, stories, and the names of those who are no longer with us. There was pain. There was remembrance. There was love for one another. And there was a community united by gratitude for the sacrifices that have secured the freedoms we enjoy today.
On a personal note, one of the most meaningful moments for me was watching the metal track from my bulldozer that was destroyed in the IED blast make its way through the group. Fifty pounds of steel, passed from person to person, mile after mile. It became more than just a piece of metal. It became a symbol. A symbol of carrying weight for others when they need it. A reminder that none of us are meant to carry our burdens alone. And for me personally, a reminder that there have been times in life when others have carried weight for me when I didn’t feel strong enough to carry it myself. Watching that weight move through the group was a powerful reflection of what this community is all about.
Of all the rucks we’ve done, this was one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve been a part of. I am forever grateful for every person who walked beside us and helped create something special.
We remember them not only in our words, but in our actions, in our fellowship, and in the way we choose to live.
Until next year.
Drink great cider. Honor great sacrifice.
