ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Monday's Memorial Day parade filled the streets of Morehead, but for many watching, it was about far more than floats. For military veterans, the day carries a specific weight.
"Memorial Day is about honoring those who make the sacrifice," Tim Smith, a military veteran, said.
At Freedom Park there is a wall full of names in Rowan County that honors every service member from World War I to today. For most people, it is a wall of history. For Sharri Jones, one of those names is her son, Daniel Fannin.
Fannin was a staff sergeant in the Air Force. He died at the age of 30 when his MC-12 aircraft crashed in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
"He is the epitome of a patriot and a hero. I always want him remembered," Jones said.
Even though his life was short, Jones still hears about the lasting impact her son had on people.
"The number of young men and women that came to me at his funeral saying. Without Daniel I wouldn't know Jesus, Daniel helped me through all the hard times when I was missing home, Daniel took me under his wing. It makes this momma so proud," Jones said.
Through all those stories, the same detail keeps coming up.
"One thing they all said about Daniel is that he was always smiling," Jones said.
Others at the parade also paused to reflect on the meaning of the day.
"Just the sacrifice they made and being away from their families," Allan Tackett said.
"There are a lot of people that served that I believe don't get the recognition they deserve," Cameron Hall said.
For Jones, her son's memory comes with a personal mission.
"If I can just influence just one person just as much as he has influenced so many. It would be a life well lived," Jones said.
