Fallen vets honored during annual ceremony at Naples Memorial Gardens

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- Since 1991, 10 local veterans have either died in the line of duty or as a result of serving our country.

Monday morning, they were recognized during an annual ceremony at Naples Memorial Gardens.

“The 10 red wreaths were to signify the 10 souls that we lost from Collier County either from all the way from the Gulf War to Enduring Freedom which is Afghan War,” said Staff Sgt. Wilfredo Vasquez, who is retired from the U. S. Army.

He read each name one by one, nine men and one woman.

The wreaths were made with red poppy flowers.

“The red is for the blood that they have spilled in foreign lands, yet the green is for the green pastures,” said Vasquez.

“That was a nice memorial, nice remembrance of them it brought back a lot of memories too,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Miksa.

He served in the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during World War II.

The 91-year-old and two other veterans were recognized by Governor Rick Scott during the ceremony.

“It’s great to see the governor here on a hot day,” said Miksa.

Governor Scott, who is a Navy veteran himself, was the keynote speaker. His dad also served in the Navy.

“What I really think about every day, is how tough it was on my dad, how tough it was in the second World War and how hard it is for some many families who have lost loved ones.”

The names of the fallen local veterans are engraved on the wall at the Veterans Memorial Monument at Cambier Park in Naples.