Patriot Guard Honors The Ultimate Sacrifice

AN ORGANIZED A BAND OF THE MOTORCYCLE RIDERS SHOWS UP AT EVENTS ALL OVER FLORIDA. THEIR MISSION TO HONOR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS WGCU’S DAYNA HARPSTER HAS THE STORY. >> THERE ARE NO DUES. FEES ARE MEETINGS TO BE PART OF THIS MOTORCYCLE GROUP. AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A MOTORCYCLE TO PARTICIPATE. YOU CAN SHOW UP IN A CAGE BY THAT. THEY MEAN A CAR AND SHOW RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR OTHERS ON A RECENT WEDNESDAY MORNING, THEY BRAVED A PROLIFERATION OF LOVE BUGS TO GATHER FROM THEIR HOMES IN ST. PETERSBURG, NORTH PORT AND ELSEWHERE AT SARASOTA NATIONAL CEMETERY. THERE. THEY PAID THEIR RESPECTS TO VETERANS WHO WERE BURIED DURING THE PAST MONTH. WE EXTEND THE FLORIDA BRIDE. CAPTAIN EXPLAINS. >> WE'RE HERE TO HONOR THE VETERANS THAT WERE INTERRED HERE. AT SARASOTA AND THE PREVIOUS MONTH THAT DIDN'T RECEIVE FULL MILITARY HONORS. AND THESE VETERANS WERE UNCLAIMED, BASICALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FAMILY THAT IT ENDED. SO TODAY WE'RE HAVING AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO STAND THEN AND HONORING THEM AS AS BASICALLY FAMILY TODAY. >> US MARINE CORPS KOREA. AND SHE WOULD U.S. ARMY VIETNAM. >> THE PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS AND ONE OF SEVERAL GROUPS TO PROVIDE THOSE HONORS WITH FLAGS AND SILENT WITNESS ABOUT 2500 RIDERS IN FLORIDA PARTICIPATE IN THE MOVEMENT. IT BEGAN MAIN KANSAS AND 20. 0, 5, THE GROUP ORIGINALLY WAS CREATED BY THE AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS TO SHIELD THE FUNERALS OF FALLEN MILITARY HEROES FROM HARASSING PROTESTS BY THE WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH. DAVE GRIFFITH HAS WRITTEN WITH THE GROUP FOR MORE THAN 4 YEARS. FOR MEDICAL REASONS. HE WAS UNABLE TO JOIN THE U.S. MILITARY. >> THIS IS MY WAY OF. GIVING BACK A LITTLE BIT. TO THEIR SACRIFICE. LET'S UP. IT'S A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE FOR ONE PURPOSE AND ONE PURPOSE ONLY AND THAT'S TO HONOR OUR VETERANS. OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL. AND THAT'S WHY WE'LL ASSEMBLE AND COME DOWN EVERY MONTH. JULES AND WHAT HAVE YOU? >> IT WAS THE U.S. NAVY VIETNAM. WELL, KANTER U.S. ARM. HE HAD NOT. >> THEY GATHERED FOR A CEREMONY THAT INCLUDES THE READING OF NAMES ON THIS DAY. THERE ARE 6, MOSTLY FROM THE VIETNAM WAR. PLUS, THE PLAYING OF TAPS AND A GUN SALUTE. AFTER ALL, THE NAMES ARE READ, THE PATRIOT RIDERS AND OTHERS 3 AT A TIME PROCEED TO A BENCH WITH A FLAG IS UNFURLED AND EITHER PLACE THEIR HANDS OVER THEIR HEARTS ARE SALUTE AND THEN MOVE ON, ALLOWING THE NEXT GROUP TO SHOW THEIR RESPECT. LUTHER CARRIER EXPLAINS THAT HE GOT STARTED IN THE GROUP WHEN HE HELPED THIS WAY FIND THE GRAVE OF HER FATHER WHO WAS KILLED IN WORLD WAR. 2. >> SO A TIME LAPSE FAMILIES IN DO WHAT THEY DO. THEY THEY EVOLVE AND BUT HAS BEEN A TURNING POINT FOR ME AND DEALING WITH VETERANS. NOW THAT I KNOW WHERE HE'S AT. AND THEN THE FAMILY KNOWS FOR UNCLE BILL AS >> IN OVER U.S. MARINE WHO DID NOT. >> CARRIER ALSO HAS A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS VETERANS WIVES AND CAREGIVERS WHO ARE DEALING WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. BESIDES THAT, HE WAS LEAVING THE CEMETERY THAT MORNING TO RIDE THE OKEECHOBEE TO MEET UP WITH SOME OTHER RIDERS AT A NATIONAL VETERANS MEMORIAL. IT'S IT'S VERY, VERY REWARDING. >> 2 ATTENDEES FARRELL'S SAY OCEANS OTHER PEOPLE AND TO KNOW THAT I'M GIVING BACK. >> FOR WGCU NEWS, THIS IS DAYNA HARPSTER.