Ryan Wellner

Last night, I made a simple request on X. I asked if anybody visiting Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day would stop by Alan’s grave and leave a photo for our family. What happened next honestly caught me off guard. By this afternoon, dozens of Americans from all walks of life had made the walk to Section 60 to visit SSG Alan W. Shaw. Veterans. Families. Complete strangers. People who had never met Alan, but chose to honor him anyway. For one day on social media, people put aside the constant noise and negativity and came together for something bigger than themselves. My notifications filled with photos, kind messages, prayers, and stories from people honoring not just Alan, but so many of our fallen heroes. I don’t think people fully understand what moments like this mean to Gold Star families. The fear is never just losing them. It’s losing them slowly over time as the world moves on and fewer people remember their name. But today showed me that Alan will never be forgotten. After years of watching social media reward some of the worst parts of humanity, today gave me a reminder that the good is still out there too. Thank you to every single person who stopped by to visit Alan today, said his name, shared his story, or took a moment to honor the fallen. This right here is the America Alan knew and loved enough to fight and die for. And today, y’all showed us all that it’s still here and it’s still worth fighting for. 🇺🇸

Powerful post-game sound from Josh Yago, active duty Space Force member, on what it means to play on Memorial Day 🫡🇺🇸 (via @NCAALAX)

Notre Dame attackman Josh Yago standing at attention during the national anthem ahead of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championship on Memorial Day 🇺🇸 Yago is a graduate transfer from Air Force, and is also a second lieutenant in the U.S. Space Force.

Jimmy Regan was a Long Island lacrosse star from Manhasset and Chaminade who helped lead Duke lacrosse to national prominence After 9/11, he turned down law school and Wall Street to become an Army Ranger He deployed four times and was killed in Iraq at just 26 years old ⬇️

Today we remember Brendan Looney. An American hero who embodied everything we hope to be on and off the field. A leader at the Naval Academy, a captain on the lacrosse team, who ultimately gave his life in service to our country as a Navy SEAL in 2010. The NCAA Final Four has decided its D1 champion on Memorial Day for the last 40 years. Including 2004, when Navy competed for the national title with all 3 Looney brothers on the field. Brendan wore number 40. Today we honor the men and women who gave everything. Their sacrifice is the reason we get to play, compete, and live with purpose. Brendan would remind us, “Be strong. Be accountable. Never complain.” brendanlooneyfoundation.org

RESPECT.

🙏🫡 🇺🇸

This Memorial Day, we remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country, and we hold their loved ones in our prayers. We especially remember the members of the Notre Dame family whose sacrifice will never be forgotten. Thank you 🇺🇸

THANK YOU to all the brave men & women who serve this beautiful country and allow the USA to be a beacon of light. I pray we may honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, not just today but everyday. God bless those military families who know that sacrifice all too well. Please reach out to @3andGFoundation if we can be a resource for you.

Much has been said/written about Brendan over the last 16 years, but this line from @mattkinnear's 2022 article stands out to me: "He’s remembered, not just because he gave the ultimate sacrifice, but because of the way he lived." Read more: insidelacrosse.com/article/faith-…

“Some people have the ability to make an impact, a lifelong impact. Brendan certainly did that for all of us. He truly changed the way we live. What a tremendous legacy that is.” —@CoachTillman1

Today, we honor the brave members of our armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country 🇺🇸

It's GAMEDAY! The Irish play for the national title at 1 p.m. ET in Charlottesville. Watch on ESPN. #GoIrish☘️

On this day, we say thank you &pay our respects to those who have paved the path for us to enjoy the life we live &our daily freedoms, those who continue to pave those same paths, & to those Warriors who will choose a life of selflessness to be sure others come first🇺🇸

No exCUSEs! Corrigan, and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again. ☘️ 🥍 🏆 🏆 🌳

When you look at the NW game today, you understand why LACROSSE is the future. Great game.

Irish in motion ☘️ #GoIrish☘️

Thinking about the ones who didn’t come home…. It’s a cold comfort, but the best we can do is remember them, tell their stories, and live lives worthy of their sacrifice. Carry on my friends.

Thomas Ricciardelli (Taft-ND) sat on that ND ☘️ Bench for years behind Entenmann. Kid didn’t sniff 👃 the field. He didnt transfer. (could have gone almost anywhere.) Instead he waited his turn. Got better. Learned his craft. Tomorrow he plays for a 💍. #OldSchool

For about 17 hours, I've been holding a holding a stick of dynamite, trying to decide whether to light the fuse. Even from introductions, the @NDlacrosse crowd was shockingly bigger and louder than the Syracuse crowd. Imagine someone saying that 20 years ago.