Vehicles and motorcycles will hit the road on Saturday in the St. Louis area to honor 13 U.S. military members who were killed in 2021 during America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. One of the fallen soldiers was Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz of Wentzville.
His father, Mark Schmitz, told Missourinet that he wanted to carry Jared’s torch.
“I know my son well enough to know that if I just sat at home depressed about his passing and did nothing beyond that, he would be livid with me,” he said. “So, we wanted to basically take a tragedy and turn it into something positive.”
This first-year memorial ride will begin in Festus at 10 a.m. and end in Truesdale.
“It’s going to be a long caravan of vehicles and well worth the effort of what we’re trying to do,” Schmitz said. “I mean, again, we’re just trying to keep our kids’ memories alive and bring attention to their sacrifice.”
The fundraiser includes live music, food, and a paintball tournament from 2:30-5:30 p.m. in Truesdale.
All proceeds from the event will go to The Freedom 13, Mark’s nonprofit that aims to build a recreational retreat for veterans in all 50 states, with the first one in Missouri. The property will include hiking, hunting, fishing, and therapeutic activities. Veterans could use the retreat at no charge.
For more information about the charity ride, click here.
Copyright © 2024 · Missourinet