The Memorial Day event at Pioneer Park will honor soldiers killed in a car crash in 2023

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) – Every year, a Memorial Day ceremony is held at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks where members of the community can come together to remember soldiers who have died in the line of duty. This year’s ceremony honored two special soldiers.

A crowd gathered at a pavilion near the entrance to hear from lawmakers and military officials about the significance of this day, which was declared a national holiday in 1971.

Representative Savannah Fletcher said at the event: “I want all of us to be especially grateful to the people we hold in our hearts today, to truly acknowledge them and take this moment to express our appreciation to them.”

Meanwhile, MP Ashley Carrick said: “We thank all our soldiers, our veterans and especially those we have lost and remember today for helping to secure our freedom at home and abroad.”

This year the Golden Heart Community has lost two of its members.

Special forces soldiers Jeremy Daniel Evans and Brian Joshua Snowden lost their lives in a car accident near Salcha last October, in which twelve other soldiers were injured.

They served at Fort Wainwright.

Brigadier General Thomas Burke of the 11th Airborne Division honored their lives at the ceremony. “We especially mourn the loss of them, their families, their comrades and the entire 11th Airborne Division on this Memorial Day. We feel blessed to have fought alongside them and we remember their sacrifice,” he said.

Two of her comrades shared their memories of the deceased.

Specialist Daniel Ramsey said: “I loved Snowden like a brother. He was always very helpful and did everything he could to help those in need. We will all miss him very much and will remember him very, very fondly. He will always be in our hearts and thoughts.”

Specialist David Armstrong then took the microphone to speak about Evans. He recalled: “When I first met Specialist Evans three years ago, he was the epitome of a private. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing or why he was being ordered to do it, but he was proud to do it.”

At the end, former Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly recited the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae and two memorial poppies were planted.

After a minute of silence, the event ended and left the participants in memory of the deceased.

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