Spc. Eduardo Torres’ family gathered in the shade of a live oak tree in Mount Olivet Cemetery, seated in folding chairs about 100 yards from where their beloved son and brother was buried.

They wore white T-shirts with his name, a beaming photo of him in uniform, and the years of his short life — 1999 to 2021.

Torres’ family honored an outspoken and passionate son and brother, whose ambitious dreams for a career in the U.S. Army were cut short. Enlisting had been a dream for Torres for most of his young life, said his sister Elizett Amezcua.

Joining the Army was “all he could really talk about,” she said.

Torres’ passion and love for his country was echoed Monday by veterans, civilians, elected officials and special guests alike.

U.S. Navy Capt. Beau Hufstetler, the commanding officer of NAS JRB Fort Worth, described the sacrifice that those in the military and their loved ones make every day, over and over throughout a career of service. Hufstetler’s wife described the feeling as “having to hold your breath, waiting until you get confirmation that your loved one has returned to safety,” he said.

“It’s a pattern that repeats itself hundreds of times over the course of a service member’s career,” he said.

For many families, that feeling of holding your breath ends in grief.

Hufstetler spoke of three Texans who had died while serving their country. The first two were names familiar to some of those gathered: Maj. Horace Seaver Carswell Jr., a WWII hero, and Marine Corps Pfc. Whitt Moreland, who sacrificed himself while warning his comrades to avoid an exploding grenade.

The final story Hufstetler shared was one familiar to him: Cmdr. Brian Bourgeois of the U.S. Navy. Bourgeois and Hufstetler were football teammates at the U.S. Naval Academy. Hufstetler recalled a friend who was a good listener, and simultaneously determined and laid back. Bourgeois, a Texas native, died Dec. 7, 2021 from injuries sustained during a training exercise. He was the commanding officer of SEAL Team 8 at the time of his death.

“Each of these profiles in courage represents the fighting spirit of the many heroes who gave their life for our country,” Hufstetler said.

For the Torres family, they carry their loved one’s fighting spirit in the form of small silver bracelets with their son and brother’s name inscribed on them. Torres’ squadron had the bracelets made after their comrade died from a self-inflicted wound in 2021. Amezcua, along with her mother Cristina Torres and brother Oscar Torres, carried those bracelets with them Monday, in honor of their brother and son.

If you are a service member or veteran in crisis, there is help available. Call 988 and then press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.