200 trees planted at Flanagan Lake Park, part of the Nebraska Memorial Forest

In time, the Nebraska Memorial Forest will have 7,500 trees. Of those, 200 were planted by volunteers on Wednesday at Flanagan Lake Park in Omaha.

Continue reading for the expanded version of the story, as seen on-air.

One by one, students from Omaha South High School plant trees at Flanagan Lake Park. Each honors a Nebraskan who gave their life to serve - like Marine Carl Burgdorf.

"His father was a veteran. His grandfather was a veteran... cousins. So, it runs in the family.. of serving our country," Carl's mother, Lydia Burgdorf, explained.

Carl died by suicide in 2019 at just 23 years old. His life is one of hundreds honored as part of the Nebraska Memorial Forest , a place their legacies live on.

"The State remembers... it matters to remember," Jim Meier shared. He's the director of Honor and Remember Nebraska.

In the military, people of all types grow together and become a unit. It's the same here.

"Trees are beautiful, supple sentinels of the land just as service members were a sentinel for us," Meier said.

"As long as the tree stands, (Carl's) memory will be alive. Trees live longer than we do," Burgdorf added.

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