One would hope that a veteran who passes makes it home to their family, so they can be remembered and honored.
Sadly though, this isn’t always the case.
There are some veterans whose bodies go unclaimed – and they don’t receive the proper tribute from loved ones that they deserve.
Military personnel across the country have said that a veteran dies twice; once on the battlefield and once when people stop saying their name.
For many soldiers, this can start as soon as their bodies return home and go unclaimed.
These bodies are left forgotten with no one to send them off and show appreciation for what they have done.
For many veterans and soldiers, this is a sad and horrifying scenario.
It haunts many men and women in the armed forces who wonder if they will be remembered when they close their eyes for the last time.
But one motorcycle club in Florida wants to change that.
The bikers joined together to help honor a deceased veteran, who didn’t have loved ones giving him a proper funeral service.
Nicolas Morales, a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association is part of an association initiative to honor fallen veterans.
The video talks about how they did so for Robert Krause, a veteran who was never claimed.
Their hope was that Robert’s spirit could finally move on knowing that his efforts were recognized and honored.
They did this in a big way, by providing an escort to a military graveyard for Robert Krause, who served as a marine in the 50s.
You can imagine the respectful scene as Robert’s hearse was guarded and accompanied by a small crowd of veteran motorcyclists for a solemn procession at the Florida National Cemetery.
After the group arrived at the site, they gave Robert Krause a beautiful tribute.
Like many military funerals, the procession that follows is a ritual affair.
It comes complete with the folding of the American flag, and that flag is prominently displayed over the fallen soldier’s casket.
The group gathers beneath a gazebo to listen to words of remembrance and to offer salutes.
The procession itself isn’t too different from what you’d expect.
It has all the components of a military funeral that you can imagine.
With associates and colleagues offering the solemnity that such an event requires.
From the small rituals to the spoken words, it’s the most traditional of honors that military members can expect.
But there’s one factor that’s easy to miss.
The motorcyclists didn’t actually know the veteran.
These honorable and kind men and women are not directly related to Robert Krause.
They are fellow servicemen and the families thereof who felt that unclaimed veterans deserved the chance to be remembered and honored.
So they arranged to take on a kind act that no one else would. As Morales later says:
It’s not just Taps for Mr. Krause. It’s Taps for all of our fallen.”
This is a powerful way to make sure that no veteran passes away alone.
Early on in the video, it offers statistics that dozens of military bodies go unclaimed every year, in just Tampa, Florida alone.
They have no family to see them to their grave.
So providing understanding escorts and remembrances could be the last great service to provide to these heroes.
It’s heartbreaking to think that some veterans live their last days without their families.
Luckily, there are people dedicated to making sure they’re not forgotten – just like the group did with Robert Krause.
For all the sacrifices our military members make, they deserve to be honored and appreciated until the end of time.
Check out the video below to see the motorcyclists’ touching tribute.
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