BELLEVUE, OH (WTOL) - It's called "The Wall that Heals" and that's exactly what it's doing for veterans, family members, and the community in Bellevue this weekend.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica displays the names of more than 58,000 men and women who gave their life for our freedom.
110 of those names were residents of Seneca, Sandusky, Huron, and Erie Counties.
"It's humbling to see it and actually help put it together and knowing what each one of the names means to a person," said James Alt, a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran.
"I lost a close cousin, he's on that wall," said Donn Rospert, a United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran. "I lost two men in Vietnam that were under my care and that makes it important."
Both Donn and James served in the Vietnam War and while they both still carry the weight of their service, they're finding healing through the wall and other veterans who understand.
"We all know what each one of us went through," said James Alt. "We might all have a different branch of service we served in, but we all went through the same experiences just at different locations in the country."
Together they recalled the meals, uniforms and battles they fought.
For Donn it's the image of him and his brothers headed into battle together, while James recalls the lives of two of his platoon mates lost in an ambush which gave him a purple heart.
This is why so many came to remember at the wall.
Some community members saw the name of their loved ones for the first time along this replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
Deb Druckenmiller lost her uncle when he just 21 years old while serving in Vietnam.
She says he was just a month away from returning home when her family learned he had died.
Seeing his name for the first time was emotional.
"Well it makes me very proud," said Druckenmiller. "But it brings back that hurt from when that happened."
Organizers worked to bring this replica to Bellevue for the past two years. They believe education is critical for the future.
"It's important for younger generations to see," said Kenn Rospert, an Army veteran and wall organizer. "There was a quote by a president, 'Nobody
will, no matter how justifiable the war is, if they do not see how the other generations were treated,' and we're trying to show these people how these veterans need to be treated."
The wall is open for visitors until Sunday at 2 p.m. at Central Park.
You can see local memorabilia from the war, search loved ones, and even leave mementos.
Organizers have events planned all weekend long.
Saturday they will host educational sessions for grade school (8 a.m.), middle school (9 a.m.) and high school students (10 a.m.).
Beginning at 1 p.m. until 4 they will have a pinning ceremony for Vietnam era veterans who served from 1955-1975.
At 7 p.m. on Saturday organizers have a Killed in Action remembrance ceremony and a missing man presentation.
Sunday at 2 p.m. will be the closing ceremony for "The Wall that Heals."
Organizers welcome anyone to the wall to learn, but also encourage you to thank a veteran because it means more than you know.
