BILLINGS- A motorcycle ride to honor military personnel who have died stopped in Billings Wednesday afternoon.
This is the 10th anniversary of the Tribute to Fallen Soldiers Memorial Torch Motorcycle Ride.
The group based in Oregon and left Eugene on July 14 on 22-day, 4,000-mile trip.
The riders remembered Army Captain Darrian A. Johnson, who died May 4, 2018.
His wife Cari says kind and inspirational words and the remembrance were therapeutic.
“The kids often ask, do people remember that Daddy died?” Johnson said. “And so when there’s shows of support like this and we can all feel the support and know that people remember and they haven’t forgotten which is really important for myself and for my children.”
“You can see from the tears on Cari’s face and her two children how special it is,” said Warren Williamson, executive director of Tribute for Fallen Soldiers Northwest. “For total strangers to show up in a neighborhood like this and hug on them and love on them and let them know that their dad and her husband have not been forgotten, it’s priceless.”
The riders will honor 65 fallen service members in 17 states.
A closing ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 4 at Arlington National Cemetery.
In 10 years, Tribute to Fallen Soldiers has honored 800 men and women.
Darrian Johnson is buried at Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel.
