HOUSTON – Thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Houston on Friday to salute our veterans.
The annual Veteran’s Day Parade kicked off at the intersection of Dallas and Bagby, then wound its way through city streets for nearly two hours. High School marching bands, Blue Star Mothers, Gold Star Mothers, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen were among the many participants in the parade.
Onlookers waved American flags and clapped for our service men and women as they walked by. “It brings tears to my eyes,” Army Veteran Eugnio Perez said.
KPRC2 anchor Bill Balleza, who served in the Marine Corps, served as emcee for a ceremony outside city hall prior to the parade.
Bryan Chapman, an Iraqi War veteran, brought his 8-year-old daughter to the event. “I believe all children should experience the parade and acknowledge the veterans,” Chapman said.
Sheila Williams is a nurse at the DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston. She came to the parade to show her support for her patients. “I do not call them patients, they are veterans and they are American heroes who have sacrificed their lives,” Williams said.
Williams and many veterans agreed that on a day like this, at a time like this, after such a contentious election season, people need to unite.
“There's still work to do and a lot of prayer to unite, because it’s very divided,” said Vietnam War Veteran Victor Hebert. “There are a lot of hurt feelings, sad people and some are happy.”
Many veterans also had the chance to attend a job and health fair during the day, right outside city hall.