Texas War Memorial unveiled at state capitol
The Texas War Memorial was unveiled on Capitol grounds Saturday.
It honors fallen, active and veteran soldiers who put their lives on the frontline.
While paying respects to the friends and families who support our servicemen and woman.
It's a feeling that Cindy Dietz-Marsh said she will carry with her for the rest of her life. A sense of loss that left her heart empty. Dietz-Marsh loss her son Danny Dietz more than 10 years ago. He was a serving as a Navy Seal in Afghanistan when his life was cut short at the young age of 25.
"It just hits home because I lost my son," said Dietz-Marsh.
She along with several dozens of other families visited the Texas Capitol Saturday morning for the unveiling of the Texas War Memorial.
It's a monument dedicated to the many servicemen and women who pay the ultimate price for our freedom. As well as those currently serving our country.
The Chairman of the Texas War Memorial, James Stryker, said the monument serves as a reminder that freedom isn't cheap.
"It comes with a very high cost. Is my loved one going to come back?” said Stryker.
Stryker said he hopes the monument will also serve as a sanctuary for families, soldiers, and for those who want to pay their respects.
“We don’t need to make this generation wait for years and we certainly don’t want to have them wait for a monument that’s too late to be of help of any consequences so this gives them the opportunity to go to the monument and sit down and look at it and say ‘Wow’ Texas appreciated what I did the state appreciated it. And give them a place to sit down and heal,” said Stryker.
Army Texas National Guard Scott Crosley attended the unveiling Saturday and said he thinks a monument like this is needed.
"I think monument like this serve as a physical reminder to years of generations to come about the cost of liberty about the lives that were lost the families that sacrifice. It will be around for years and decades,” said Crosley.
Stryker helped design the statue. “It’s of a military man letting go of his wife."
As Dietz-Marsh looks up at the statue of a military man letting go of his wife and saying goodbye to his daughter she said she couldn’t help but see a reflection of herself and her son in the statue.
"I see me saying goodbye to him. I’m looking at my son and holding his hand one last time and seeing angels taking him away,” said Dietz-Marsh.
The Texas War Memorial committee also let go of 600 balloons during the dedication ceremony.
Each representing a Texan who was killed in combat.
The monument is not finished, but once complete will be placed on the corner of 12th Street and San Jacinto Blvd. “We hope to have it complete before the end of the year,” said Stryker.
Dietz-Marsh said she's looking forward to visiting the memorial and hopes it brings her heart a sense of comfort. "To be able to come here and sit and feel like I can sit with my angel here means the world,” said Dietz-Marsh.
She hopes it will remind people of the sacrifices servicemen and women make along with their families in order for us to have freedom. "It's letting them know that we appreciate them and welcome them home and thank them for the sacrifice's they make every day,” said Dietz-Marsh.
The memorial is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.