(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -All across the country on Memorial Day, people are honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. That includes one man in Spokane who started holding an American flag by himself every Memorial Day, four years ago.
KHQ was there in 2016 as he stood near Indian Trail. Shaun Key says he wants people who go by, to look at the flag and remember the fallen men and women. As he continues his annual tradition, people are now starting to join him.
On Monday, Key stood on the corner of Division and Sharp, holding an American flag. "This is a day about remembering our troops, about our freedom, who gave their lives, sacrificed their lives for us so it's the least we could do for them,” said Key.
Key stood outside for several hours side-by-side with friends. "Four years ago, I started having some thoughts, like what could I do more for the community, do more for the troops, do more for the ones that have lost their lives and I thought, you know what, out of one day out of the year, I could just go out and stand and hold the flag so people will look at it and realize you know, today is Memorial Day," said Key.
His idea is reaching others on social media, inviting them to join and bring American flags of their own. It brought people like Trudy Girkins and her little grandson. "My dad was an air traffic controller, he died, Agent Orange in Vietnam,” said Girkins.
Key met them for the very first time on Monday. He says seeing people like Girkins and her grandson join with flags is heartwarming. "What better view could you see of that, a kid holding a flag. Why is that kid sitting there? Because he is here to support those who have given their lives, our freedom and that's amazing to me," said Key.
Key says he would love to see Division street lined up with hundreds of people holding the American flag on Memorial Day in the years to come.