Photo By Sgt. Jonathan LopezCruet | A volunteer mentor plays with a child before the start of the balloon release event...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - One … two … three … counted Bonnie Carroll.
After, hundreds of hands released red and blue balloons, with written personal messages on them, intended for their sorely missed loved ones.
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, held a balloon release ceremony on Marine Corps Base Hawaii Feb. 28, 2016, to honor fallen military members.
The event allowed families to write messages on balloons and release them into the sky to remember their loved ones.
TAPS hosted a seminar for the families of America’s fallen military members. The seminar allowed healing to nearly 100 surviving family members including the recently lost 12 Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 that lost their lives in a tragic accident on January.
“The military community in Hawaii recently lost 12 Marines from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and the need for surviving family members to connect is great,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder. “This weekend, TAPS is honored to be with the surviving families in Hawaii to offer help, hope and healing.”
Becky Miller, TAPS family survivor, explained how families wrote messages to their heroes on the balloons to let them know that they will never be forgotten.
“TAPS is a great organization that brings all of these survivor families together,” Miller said.
Family, children and friends were supported during the difficult process of grieving.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to be here, to be embraced by the Marine Corps,” Carroll said. “[Especially] for the Marines who volunteered to be mentors for the children, and to provide comfort to all of the families.”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.29.2016 01:37 |
| Story ID: | 190383 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 134 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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