SUFFOLK, Va. – A 60 mile hike ended in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day.
The ‘Ruck to Remember’ started in Harper’s Ferry, West Va. and stretched to section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery. Participants from Operation Enduring Warrior completed the hike as they assisted amputees and other adapted athletes to do the same.
Steven Street is an athlete with the non-profit and has been competing with them since 2014. He said marching into Arlington on Memorial Day was enough to bring tears to the eyes of many.
“When we were marching in we had kids saluting us, service men were at attention saluting us and bikers were at attention, tears were coming down I was about to start crying myself. It was a humbling moment to be marching towards that cemetery where so many great men are buried,” said Street.
It took Street two and a half days to make the 60 mile journey, but he said the long trek gave him a chance to tell the story of his fallen brother L Cpl. Donald Champlin, who died in combat in 2006.
“He was a fellow marine and I told his story today and I was very humbled to do that in front of a bunch of patriots, the best people in the world to be hiking 60 miles with,” Street said.
Street said Operation Enduring Warrior is an organization that gives back to America’s heroes. Planning to complete the same hike next year, Street invites other community members to get involved with veteran organizations like Operation Enduring Warrior.
