DANVILLE, Va.—
All it takes is one brick, with a name and military service date, for tears to come to Eunice Murphy's eyes."The tears is for missing him and I do know he loved his county," Murphy said.
Murphy's husband David died last year. He was 88. Like hundreds of other families behind the soldier, she's turned to the Veteran's Memorial in Danville for closure.
The memorial has also become a second home for Dave Newman.
He created the place, from the slogan 'Freedom is not free' to adding the wartime tunes.
"When I first got back from Korea I didn't want to have anything to do with veterans, with the war. Little things would set it off. I decided maybe we need a memorial here to remind the people," Newman said.
In addition to the brick path is a granite wall much like the one you'd find in Washington, D.C. naming every Danville and Pittsylvania County soldier that has died in war going as far back as the Revolutionary War.
"We have James Conway. James crossed the Delaware with George Washington," Newman said.
There's still a large section of the wall left blank.
Newman hopes it stays that way.
"They look better blank. But they way this world is going you never know," Newman said.
Searching for bricks or just sharing stories are therapy the family, friends and veterans people couldn't live without.
If you'd like to purchase a brick like Eunice Murphy, call the Community Foundation at 434-793-0804 or pick up a form at the Daville Veteran's Memorial.
