JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gold Star Families are families that have lost a loved one in the military.
The United States Army said it recognizes “that no one has given more for the nation than the families of the fallen.”
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Dozens of families filled a room at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena for an event to remember the fallen and honor their survivors.
“In Honor of Lt. Chen.”
One by one the names of some of those lost were read and their families accepted a Gold Star banner.
“We are celebrating the Gold Star families,” First Coast Blue Star Mothers president Junnie Watson said. “They’ve lost their loved ones on active duty. It could be a child, another family member, and it’s just important that we appreciate and let them know they’re not alone.”
The First Coast Blue Star Mothers, the American Legion and Survivor Outreach Services teamed up for the fourth annual Gold Star family brunch.
The blue star represents a family with someone in the military.
That changes from blue to a gold star when that person is lost to the conflict.
“We honor the Gold Star families and the more that we can get here to honor the better it’s going to be because these people are going to know we’re not going to forget,” Sue Reynolds said. “Never forget.”
Reynolds is a Gold Star Mother, a Gold Star Wife and a Blue Star Mother.
She lost her son Ross Parsons 16 years ago and said every day it feels like it just happened.
“As long as they talk about them, the good times the bad times the funny times as long as they speak their name, they never forgotten,” she said. “They’re always going to be in our heart.”
Reynolds wears the dog tags for both her husband and son every day to remind her of her loved ones.
She said events like the brunch help families know they aren’t alone.
“They may not know another Gold Star Family is close to them,” she said. “They can build a relationship they can have somebody. If you need to cry, you need to talk, they’re there.”
The United States began observing Gold Star Mother’s Day back in 1936. That has since expanded to include Families Day which is on the last Sunday of September. This year that will be on Sept. 29.
For more information on resources available to Gold Star Families, you can contact Survivor Outreach Services at 904-472-7689.