CONWAY, Ark. – This weekend, 645 combat boots rested on display at Pompe Park’s Veteran Plaza in Conway.
Each one has a name tied to the laces to honor a life lost while serving the country. Sharri Briley’s husband has a pair of combat boots in the front and center.
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He was a pilot who served in the battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. For her, this memorial has a lasting effect.
“It’s very powerful to see the over 600 boots here,” Briley said.
Briley is also the executive director of Hearts of our Heroes, the nonprofit that sets up this display every year.
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The founder of the organization has been working closely with families who have lost loved ones since 2013.
“They just want to make sure that their hero is not forgotten. And so, this is one way we can help them do that,” founder of Hearts of Our Heroes, Andrea Fisher, said, “By saying their names, sharing their pictures, and really continuing to share their legacy with everybody.”