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Burlington Officer and Veteran Will March 24 Hours on Memorial Day to Support Massachusetts Fallen Heroes

 Burlington Officer and Veteran Will March 24 Hours on Memorial Day to Support Massachusetts Fallen Heroes

A member of the Burlington Police Department who marched 22 miles last year to raise funds to support efforts to prevent veteran suicides is putting his boots back on, donning his pack and is ready to ruck, or march, once more.  

Officer Jacob DeSantis, a United States Army Veteran, is planning on ruck marching for 24 hours around the track at Burlington High School’s Varsity Field on Memorial Day to honor our nation’s past and present service members. 

Last Veterans Day, DeSantis, along with 1st Lieutenant Joseph Morgan, a Burlington Native, marched 22 miles to show respect for veterans and to bring awareness to the 22 Veterans who on average take their own life a day. DeSantis marched from the Tewksbury Police Department to the Burlington Police Department and then on to the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston. Morgan, who was stationed in Georgia, did the same distance down there. 

“Due to the generosity of local police departments, news stations, the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, our 285 donors and many more, we were able to raise $14,396 well surpassing our original goal of $500 to be donated to the Mass Fallen Heroes Foundation,” DeSantis said in a notice about this year’s ruck. 

“I am happy to announce that this Memorial Day I will be conducting a 24-hour ruck march in order to raise money once more for the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes,” he said, stating that he will begin at 12 a.m. on May 31 and will conclude at 12:00 a.m. on June 1, the entirety of Memorial Day, all at the Burlington High School track.

The mission of the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes is as follows: 

“As a group of Combat Veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, we are committed to memorializing our fellow service members who did not return home to their families. So far, we’ve raised funds, created a first-of-its-kind memorial, developed the Veteran’s Edge program to assist Veterans, and created a network of support and programs for our Gold Star Families.”

Their four main goals are to:

  1. Honor the memories of our fallen
  2. Support our Gold Star Family members
  3. Empower our Veterans
  4. Educate our communities.

DeSantis said he is hoping members of the community will join him on the track, for at least a couple of laps. 

“Please join me this Memorial Day in Remembering, Honoring and Respecting our nation’s heroic Veterans,” he said. “For anyone who would like to join alongside me in this journey, please feel free to come say hello and share a lap with me.” 

DeSantis will also be accepting names of Veterans past and present from anyone who would like to have someone recognized. If you would like to have a name included email him at Jdesantis95@icloud.com. 

“Again, I will be carrying the American Flag alongside a white blank flag,” DeSantis said. “This year the white flag will remain blank in remembrance of all service members, past and present. This year I will have small LED candles that I will place along the track for those names submitted. If you have anyone you’d like to place a candle down for to light my journey and to show your respect please join me as they will be available to all.”

Anyone who wants to make a donation or learn more about the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes organization can do so by clicking here. All donations will go once more directly to the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes.

“I thank and appreciate you all from the depths of my heart, together the legacies of our nation’s heroes will forever be remembered,” DeSantis said. “God bless you, God bless our Veterans and God bless America. Make every day Memorial Day.”