Remembering The Fallen, Those Who Live With Scars

By The Continuous News Desk

Published: May 26, 2008

By Randy L. Pleva Sr.

Today, Memorial Day, beloved sons and daughters, devoted husbands and wives, loving mothers and fathers, cherished brothers and sisters, and best buddies will be at the forefront of families’ thoughts throughout the nation as America honors the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
They shed their blood for the freedoms we so often take for granted. We will remember them all, from the Greatest Generation to the latest generation.
To their families, these heroes, as the verse says “shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.” And for those of us who served but live everyday with serious injuries, our fallen comrades’ ultimate sacrifice will forever be our source of inspiration.
We honor their memory by continuing to fight for the freedoms they held so dear, and for the tools we need as paralyzed veterans, not just to live free, but to live free with dignity.
A nation where veterans’ benefits and health care are fully funded – the administration’s budget is short by $3 billion in key areas such as health care, prosthetics research, benefits processing and the construction of new hospitals and clinics. Congress appears to be moving toward addressing this shortfall but we need our nation’s leaders to work together more closely to close this gap now.
A country that’s barrier-free everywhere for everyone – we need universal wheelchair access in the land of the free and the home of thousands of brave paralyzed veterans, now.
An American scientific and medical community that’s fully funded to achieve new treatments and cures – the truth is that dream of walking again for many is within our grasp. To achieve the breakthroughs we need more investment, now.
We are winning this fight to help all veterans and their families get access to all of the things they need to thrive.
Since Paralyzed Veterans of America was founded 62 years ago after World War II, we have fought for and secured more than $3 billion in benefits and tens of billions in crucial healthcare funding. We led the way for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, an important first step for us folks in wheelchairs. And we have invested more than $50 million to find a cure for paralysis.
We do this for all veterans and their loved ones and in memory of that band of brothers and sisters whose sacrifice we can never repay.
“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

Randy L. Pleva Sr. is national president of the Paralyzed Vetreans of America. to learn more, go to http://www.pva.org.