Sacrifice, reconciliation, hope: Readers reflect on Memorial Day

The first time I attended a military funeral I was 17. My classmate’s older brother, 28-year-old Greg Riewer, was killed in 2007 in Habbaniyah, Iraq, near Fallujah, when an improvised explosive device detonated. The blast also injured three other Minnesota National Guard soldiers, and sent waves of grief through our small town of fewer than 1,500 people.

The funeral was held in our high school auditorium in Frazee, Minnesota, and it was standing room only. The gym was packed with friends, family, teachers, students, and local business owners to honor Greg’s life. The power of collective grief was palpable as everyone, young and old, grappled with the pain of a life lost too soon.  

Coming from a small town in the Midwest where many feel called to serve in the military,

“A woman ahead of her time.”“Belief in the inherent goodness of the country”“Where the courage and dedication came from”“It is the children who suffer in the war.”“A stunning, disturbing sight.”“A medic in Normandy during WWII.”“[We] dedicated our lives to working for peace”