Honoring their sacrifice

May 31—The sacrifices made by those who served in this nation's military were honored Monday during Memorial Day ceremonies in Yuba-Sutter.

While Veterans Day may be a time when we thank all those who are willing to give up their lives for our American way of life or again honor those who did, Memorial Day is specifically a day dedicated to the mourning of those who fought for this country.

On Monday morning, Sierra View Mortuary & Memorial Park in Olivehurst held a special ceremony for what it called its Memorial Day Patriotic Remembrance.

After a moment of silence and short introduction by a staff member at Sierra View, a 21-gun salute was performed by American Legion Post No. 807 followed by the playing of taps.

The official speaker of the ceremony was Mary Tallouzi from the Wounded Warrior Project.

She spoke of the sacrifices her family has made throughout their lifetime in service to the country. She called them a "family of warriors."

Tallouzi focused primarily on the wounding and eventual death of her youngest son, Daniel. She spoke about the struggles in handling first the news of his critical wounds and then the ups and downs of finding the right care for the trauma he endured.

"Memorial Day is a day of reverence. It is a day to bow our heads and give thanks to God for all the young men and women who took it upon themselves to sign on the dotted line up to and including their lives for our nation," Tallouzi said.

She said it was Sept. 25, 2006, that changed the lives of her family forever.

"I was a single parent with two other children and Daniel was severely hurt. I was flown to Germany, I knew what that meant, it wasn't good news. I might not bring him home, not alive," Tallouzi said. "But I went, and all I needed to do was put my hand on his arm and let him know, I'm taking you home. 'Honey, I'm here, it's mom."

Tallouzi said she wanted to take her son home, but because of his critical injuries was not able to right away.

"I sat there and I assessed everything I could and I said, 'Dan, we're taking you home,'" she said.

Tallouzi said three days later her son, who was in a coma, was on an aircraft back to the U.S. She said a piece of shrapnel was lodged into her son's skull, after piercing and penetrating his brain.

Tallouzi then laid out the different specialists and hospitals that Daniel was sent to because of his traumatic brain injury.

Eventually, after years of fighting and attempts at rehabilitation, Daniel died on Feb. 28, 2009.

Yuba County District One Supervisor Andy Vasquez, who was at the ceremony and is a Vietnam veteran, said Monday he hoped more young people would take part in Memorial Day events so they could understand the sacrifices that are made.

"I would love to see young people here because they need to know what it is," Vasquez said. "I had a radio show yesterday and I played several of the Medal of Honor winners' statements and until you actually hear those people describe their struggles, you have no idea of what it means to be an American."

Calvary Christian Center in Yuba City also held its annual Memorial Day ceremony with a production called "A Grateful Nation Remembers."

The event featured a replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a six-panel replica of the Vietnam Wall. Each played a part in dramatic stories that gave a glimpse into what life was like during a conflict and after.

Attending the ceremony in the packed church were area officials such as Yuba City Mayor Dave Shaw, Sutter County District Attorney Amanda Hopper and Sutter County District Four Supervisor Karm Bains. Also in attendance were Gold Star families and a plethora of others who served in various wars and engagements the U.S. has been involved in over the years.

The guest speaker for the Memorial Day event was Dave Roever, a Purple Heart recipient who had countless surgeries and procedures done after he was severely wounded by a phosphorous grenade during the Vietnam War.

Roever, a Brown Water Black Beret, said Memorial Day is about "those that are on that wall, about those that died on those gurneys."