An Illinois truck driver just spent 9 days delivering Christmas wreaths to veterans cemeteries across America as a way to thank the fallen heroes for their service during this holiday season.
Truck driver J.D. Walker returned home to Quincy, Illinois on Friday, December 15th after a 9 day trek spent honoring fallen veterans by driving for a program called “Wreaths Across America.”
“Wreaths across America” began in 1992 after the owner of Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine decided to donate a huge number of surplus wreaths to the Arlington National Cemetery. Since then, the program has grown in size and popularity by delivering wreaths to more that 1,000 veterans cemeteries across America, and is now officially recognized as a non-profit organization.
According to The Herald-Whig, Walker says he felt compelled to help the organization honor the graves of fallen soldiers following the death of his 21-year-old son, Lcpl. Jeffrey Walker, in Iraq back in 2007.
“I see this as a way to honor the fallen veterans, even the guys from the Civil War. I guess it’s not just the fallen ones either. I’m doing this for all veterans throughout the country,” Walker said.
Walker began his journey on December 7th by hauling a load to New Jersey before heading to Columbia Falls, Maine, where he waited nearly 2 days before picking up over 4,200 wreaths to be delivered to national cemeteries across Missouri. Walker then spent several days delivering wreaths to cemeteries in Concordia, Kansas City, Liberty, Jacksonville, Eldon and Jefferson City, Missouri, where he placed wreaths on the graves of the fallen and uttered their name aloud as a way to commemorate their service.
“We are not here to decorate graves. We’re here to remember not their deaths, but their lives,” said Wreaths Across America Executive Director Karen Worcester.
Walker, who works for Gully Transportation, has since completed his wreath deliveries, but says that he will always remember that 9 day run because of the veterans.