Domenech & Manion: Honoring Arlington Cemetery's heroes and their legacy for those who cannot visit

We’re asking families of our fallen military members buried in Arlington National Cemetery to allow us to honor your fallen hero’s legacy this Memorial Day.

But in 2020, Memorial Day was different. COVID-19 restrictions limited access for visitors, and as I turned onto Eisenhower Drive to enter the cemetery, it was abundantly clear just how different things felt. Typically, hundreds of people would be there to honor their fallen loved ones. But in 2020, even on Memorial Day, the grounds were eerily empty. Without thinking much of it, I offered to stop and photograph headstones during my visit for those who couldn’t visit their loved ones in person. It started as a simple tweet that I thought might bring a handful of responses from friends who served. But in just a few minutes, I was flooded with requests from families across the country. Social media helped me reach hundreds of strangers and allowed thousands of others to watch it happen in real time. Even months later, I’m overwhelmed by the response and the experience of sharing those names. I still visit many of those graves today, and I never would have predicted the sense of responsibility I would feel to ensure these heroes’ stories were shared again and again.