By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
The state Senate honored on Thursday the thirteen servicemen from Michigan who died in combat in the past 12 months. The Senate holds a Memorial Day service every year.
Dawn Peterson spoke at the ceremony. She is the mother of Senior Airman Jason Plite, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2003. She told the lawmakers and visiting families and servicemen and women that Memorial Day has become more than just a day off of work.
"Memorial Day is no longer just a holiday for me, it has become my daily life," she explains. "I stop at the cemetery each day to visit my son, to ensure his marker is polished and his flags are displayed proudly."
This is the sixteenth year the Michigan Senate has held the Memorial Day service.