“It’s always difficult for me to try to conjure up the right words to fully express my gratitude and appreciation for those that never came home, especially when I think of our Gold Star families, the families of those servicemen and women who have been killed,” Nelson said.

Nelson, a southwest Minnesota veteran, talked about those sacrifices, as well as his own experiences serving in the Middle East, during Marshall’s Memorial Day program.

On Monday, members of the Marshall American Legion and VFW posts visited area cemeteries, and held ceremonies to remember fallen soldiers.

“This Memorial Day, we honor the brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and their courage and devotion should never be forgotten,” said Bruce Fuhrmann. The Memorial Day program in Liberty Park included speakers, and a reading of the names of military service members who have died in the past year.

Photo by Deb Gau A rifle salute was fired in honor of Marshall area military service members during Monday's cemetery services.

Nelson said his admiration for members of the military went back to second grade, when a Lynd soldier visited his classroom.

“I just remember sitting on the floor in awe, as he showed up in his class A dress uniform with his shiny medals, and just thinking how, wow, I would love to be that guy some day,” Nelson said. “But as a second grader, I didn’t really understand the concepts of service and sacrifice.”

A little more than 10 years later, Nelson dropped out of college and joined the Army after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Nelson went on to serve over six years as a paratrooper, and also served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It was on August 1, 2003, when I learned the true cost of sacrifice, when my friend, Spc. Justin Hebert was killed while on patrol,” in northern Iraq, Nelson said. “And that feeling hit even closer to home for me on my next deployment.”

On June 8, 2005, Nelson was among the soldiers wounded by a rocket attack in Afghanistan, as they were taking a Humvee to meet a Chinook helicopter resupplying their forward operating base.

Photo by Deb Gau Honor Guard members played taps following the rifle salute Monday.

Nelson said he was wounded by shrapnel in his back. “My wounds were very, very minor compared to everybody else,” Nelson said.

But one of his soldiers, Emmanuel Hernandez, died after shrapnel hit him in the head. Nelson said neither he nor Emmanuel had been wearing their helmets when the attack happened.

“He died because I wasn’t doing the right thing, because I didn’t have the courage to speak up and to say something. And of course there’s been so many days since then where I thought how simple it would have been if I would have just said, ‘Guys wait, let’s go get our helmets,'” Nelson said. “I beat myself up for a long time after that incident.”

Nelson said he struggled with addiction in the years after his Army service.

“It’s a miracle I survived that,” he said. “Thankfully I’ve learned I can take that story, I can inspire others and I can influence the future.”

Photo by Deb Gau Children in the audience at Marshall's Memorial Day program held hands on their hearts for the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.

“I’m very fortunate to travel the world, and to share the stories of some of my heroes,” Nelson said. However, he said it was still hard to find the right words to thank the service members who never came home.

Nelson ended by sharing some words written by Bethany Trent, the wife of Greg Trent, a former soldier in Nelson’s unit. Greg was killed in Afghanistan in 2012.

“Memorial Day is about honoring those who loved others enough to risk everything for them. That includes the families who carried the cost long after the battle ended,” Trent wrote. “We remember the fallen not only because they died, but because of how they lived.”

Photo by Deb Gau Keynote speaker Patrick Nelson shared some of his own experiences as a veteran during Monday's Memorial Day program in Marshall.

Photo by Deb Gau Marshall Scouts placed American Flags on crosses representing Marshall area military service members and veterans who have died in the past year.