For many, Memorial Day means the official start of summer. And while we all enjoy the cookouts, the gatherings, and the time spent with friends and family, it is important that we take a moment to remember what this day is really about: honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to this country and never came home.

The United States of America is the greatest nation in the history of the world. Not because of our geography, not because of our resources, and not because of our government. We are great because of our freedoms, and those freedoms exist because generations of Americans have been willing to fight and die to protect them. It is the most selfless thing someone can do, and it deserves our deepest appreciation.

Many families in Southeast and South Central Missouri know this all too well. On Memorial Day, we say thanks to the sons and daughters, moms and dads, neighbors, friends and anyone else still grieving over the loss of their loved ones who have given their lives to protect our liberties. The Gold Star families in our communities carry a grief that most of us will never fully understand, and on Memorial Day, we honor their loved ones who paid the ultimate price.

It’s easy to forget how fragile the freedom we enjoy actually is — and the sacrifice that was made for it. Every right we exercise, every opportunity we pursue, every ordinary day we take for granted exists because someone, somewhere, decided that this country was worth dying for. Freedom doesn’t protect itself. It has to be defended by men and women who choose to stand between this country and those who would do it harm. That is what our fallen heroes did, and it is something we should carry with us every day. We are proud of each and every one of them, and that pride grows stronger with every year that passes. As your representative in Washington, I will never stop fighting to make sure Gold Star families have the support they deserve — because the debt we owe does not expire after Memorial Day.

The truth is, our fallen heroes deserve more than a day. We owe them a country worthy of their sacrifice. A country that lives up to the ideals they died defending — the belief that every American life has value and that what this nation stands for is worth preserving. Let’s make sure we honor them — not just with words, but with genuine gratitude for their sacrifice.