Memorial Day 2025

Dear Pizza Family,

This Memorial Day, as families and friends gather across the country to enjoy the long weekend, fire up grills, and spend time with loved ones, we pause to remember the true meaning of this solemn holiday. It is not simply a day off from work or the unofficial start of summer. Memorial Day is a sacred day of remembrance—a time set aside to honor the brave men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Since the Revolutionary War, more than 646,000 American service members have laid down their lives in defense of not only our nation, but the ideals of liberty, justice, and peace for people around the world. These courageous individuals answered a higher call—marching into battle, often into unknown lands, knowing the odds were stacked against them. They went not out of desire for glory or reward, but out of a deep sense of duty and love: love for their families, their fellow Americans, and for the freedom they believed every human being deserves.

Imagine the weight of that decision—to leave behind your home, your spouse, your children, and step into a world of uncertainty and peril. And yet, millions made that choice, believing that some things are worth fighting—and even dying—for. They did not seek comfort; they sought justice. They did not run from hardship; they ran toward it. Their selflessness is the cornerstone of our country’s greatness.

John 15:13 reminds us, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

This verse speaks to the very heart of what Memorial Day is about. These fallen heroes did not die in vain. They died so others might live—in peace, in freedom, with opportunity.

Many died in fields they had never heard of before they left home. Many more died in service to people they had never met. Yet they carried the American flag, the weight of our nation’s promise, and the hope that their sacrifice would make a better world.

May we show compassion to our fellow citizens who reserve Memorial Day Weekend for mourning the loss of loved ones who selflessly sacrificed their life for our freedoms.

Please offer thoughts and prayers for the families who lost a son or daughter, a father or mother, a spouse or sibling, a grandparents. Their grief does not end when the flags are lowered or the flowers fade. It is a lifelong burden, carried with quiet dignity by Gold Star families across this nation.

This Memorial Day, we owe them more than parades and patriotic music. We owe them reflection. We owe them gratitude. And we owe them a renewed commitment to live lives worthy of their sacrifice.

Recently I reflected on Memorial Day through a message by Shawn Ryan, founder of Vigilance Elite, former Navy SEAL and CIA Contractor. Shawn challenged me to look at myself in the mirror and ask myself this question: “Am I an American worth dying for today? Am I carrying out traditions, values and culture of the United States of America and standing up for what is right?”. Whew, what a question, and reality check to strive for honorable living every single day.

Let us fly our flags high—not in arrogance, but in honor. Let us live with purpose, serve others, and stand for what is right. Let our words and actions reflect the values these heroes fought and died for. Let us be worthy of the gift of freedom.

Freedom is never free. It has been bought with blood, with courage, with sacrifice. We live our lives—vote, worship, speak our minds, raise our children in peace—because someone else was willing to lay theirs down.

That should stir something deep within each of us. Not guilt, but resolve. Resolve to protect what they died for. Resolve to be the kind of citizens, neighbors, and leaders who uphold the legacy they left behind.

So this Memorial Day, Let’s pause and remember. Let the children know why the flags are at half-staff. Tell the stories of those who served and fell. Attend a ceremony if you can. We are the stewards of their legacy. What we do with the freedom they secured will define the kind of country we pass on to the next generation. Let us not squander it. Let us not forget.

To the fallen, we say: Thank you. We remember you. We honor you. And we pledge to live in such a way that your sacrifice was not in vain.

May God bless the memories of the heroes who gave all, may He comfort their families, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.

Happy Memorial Day!

Proud Americans!

Erin and Tom Ferguson and the Hunt Family