For its 39th year, Columbia veterans, leaders and citizens gathered at Polk Memorial Gardens for its annual Memorial Day tradition to pay tribute to those have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Despite a few late-Sunday flash flood warnings, the weather was clear and sunny for Monday's ceremony, which included the traditional recognitions of every branch of the U.S. Military, as well as a demonstration of the flag folding ceremony performed for fallen soldiers.
"I'd like to thank the staff at Williams Funeral Home and Polk Memorial Gardens for all the effort and beauty they've created out here and the care they've taken getting everything ready for us to have this event," Polk Memorial CEO Alan Blevins said.
"They take great pride in honoring fallen veterans, for having this service to honor the veterans we've lost and to remember those serving right now for us overseas and in this very country. It renews our hope for the future of the country."
Monday's ceremony also featured keynote speaker John Fotti, CEO of nonprofit Operation Song. The organization partners with veterans, as well as veteran families, who are partnered with a professional songwriter to tell their stories by creating original music.
Since Operation Song's foundation in 2012, the nonprofit has produced more than 1,700 songs.
"Memorial Day often is just as much about America as it is about the veterans that gave their life on the battlefield, or in the line of duty," Fotti said. "One of the things I love most about Memorial Day is remembering the other side, the America side, which says 'We promise to take care of you when you come home, and God forbit, we will take care of your family if you don't."
Creating a new path after one ends
Fotti began his career in 2012 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army after graduating and commissioning for the University of Tampa as a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Fotti soon joined the U.S. Army's Flight School in Ft. Rucker, Alabama, training for 18 months learning to fly combat helicopters. His first assignment was with the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky as a flight line platoon leader of a Blackhawk Helicopter Air Assault Company.
He was later deployed to Afghanistan in 2015 as a combat aviator. In 2018, everything came to a halt when Fotti was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
"I was about to head to South Korea for a duty assignment, and it turns out they don't let you fly helicopters if you have Type 1 Diabetes," Fotti said. "They don't even let you serve in the Army ... and so this is my uniform now."
Still wishing to serve his country, Fotti worked as a Wounded Warrior Fellow for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019. His non-profit work later began as CEO of the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation in Norman, Oklahoma, eventually leading 100 volunteers to serve 5,000 veterans per year.
Though he won't be flying Blackhawk Helicopters into the battlefield anymore, Fotti said that serving his fellow veterans remains vitally important, not just in the work he does, but also contributions from citizens, local government and other organizations.
"I urge you to take anything you can out of today and take it back to your community to try and foster a community that supports veterans and their families, that remembers their service and sacrifice that truly embodies the moments we take today on Memorial Day," Fotti said.
"Truly think about that ... because America's next war will be fought by our sons and daughters, and we as a society hope that the current individuals that line the halls of our middle schools and high schools will put on that uniform and fight for the freedoms we have today."
Fotti concluded his speech by presenting one of Operation Song's projects, which was written and arranged by Nashville songwriter Stephen J. Williams ("Redneck Yacht Club"}. The song, titled "Angelversary," was written in collaboration with the family of SPC John Pelham, who was killed in Afghanistan on Feb. 12, 2014.
The song is one of eight featured on Operation Song's "A Salute to Gold Star Families" album released in 2021.
Monday's ceremony concluded with the traditional performance of "Beulah Land" by the Highland Park Baptist's Men of Praise chorus group, as well as "Dueling Taps" and "Amazing Grace" performed by Todd Boswell on the Scottish bagpipes.
Jay Powell is a general reporter for The Daily Herald. Get up-to-date news in your inbox by subscribing to The Daily Herald newsletter at www.ColumbiaDailyHerald.com.
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