Dedicated to honoring the U.S. soldiers who lost their lives serving and protecting Americans here at home, the Lafayette Memorial Park cemetery held a special ceremony open to the public to share stories and honor the brave souls lost in battle.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Dedicated to honoring the U.S. soldiers who lost their lives serving and protecting Americans here at home, the Lafayette Memorial Park cemetery held a special ceremony open to the public to share stories and honor the brave souls lost in battle.

Memorial Day is a special holiday for our nation as it honors the life and legacy of U.S. soldiers who lost their lives fighting for our freedom. The Lafayette Memorial Park cemetery held a special service open to the public where fallen soldiers were remembered. Reverend Marshall Clotiaux spoke at the ceremony reminding everyone why Memorial Day is important.

"We're here today to honor them. The sacrifice that they made because without them we wouldn't be enjoying the freedoms that we enjoy today," says Clotiaux.

With the ceremony being open to the public, Rev. Clotiaux says usually half of the people in attendance is a loved one of a soldier who has died, or someone who comes to pay their respects.

"About fifty percent of the people here have lost a relative or a friend. And the other one were here just to pay their respects to and honor fallen soldiers."

Brenda DuPont, the mother of army specialist Steven DuPont shares why remembering soldiers like her son means so much to her. She says it's a way to keep his memory alive. "Ceremonies like this means so much because it shows he isn't forgotten. You may not know his name, but you know that he still has family here. There are people who care for him," says DuPont.

At the end of the service, Rev. Clotiaux tells why we as Americans should continue to celebrate Memorial Day and honor the lives sacrificed for our freedom.

"As I read at the end of the service, as President Ronald Regan said that if we don't pass this on to our children, it's going to be lost and it's only one generation away. In one generation we can lose that and lose the freedoms that come with it."

Memorial Day is a way we continue to honor and remember those who lost their lives for our freedom.