(PHOTOS BY JENNA FRISBY / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
MEMORIAL WALK … Nearly 50 individuals gathered together graveside on Monday, July 29th at 0800 in Evansport, Ohio for the Annual Brandon Kreischer Memorial Ruck Run/Walk. The Memorial Ruck featured a 12-mile course beginning at Kreischer’s grave and ending at his memorial banner on the corner of Main and Butler in Bryan, Ohio.
By: Jenna Frisby
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jenna@thevillagereporter.com
The day of July 29th, 2019 is not an easy one to forget once you know the impact of which that day holds for one local family.
That is the day in which Brandon Kreischer, a Bryan and Stryker local, was killed in action while being deployed overseas in Afghanistan. Brandon had turned 20 just four weeks prior and had only been deployed in Afghanistan for 23 days.
He held the position of Infantry Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division when he passed. Not only was he young, but he was a newlywed, having been married only six months.
Leaving behind a wife, Grace, who was 4.5 months pregnant with their son. Many people would not have been able to carry on the way that Grace has.
She’s held her head up and continued to honor Brandon and keep his memory alive with the support of her and Brandon’s families and friends.
One of the things that keeps his memory alive is in the Annual Brandon Kreischer Memorial Ruck Walk/Run that is held on that date of his death.
To understand the meaning of this event it’s crucial to understand what a ruck is. A ruck is simply the task of walking a distance while carrying weight in a ruck sack or otherwise known as a backpack.
For those in the military, the weight in those ruck sacks is comprised of a multitude of survival necessities including water, a sleep system, battery packs, ammunition, a bible, spare garments, and more. For the purpose of the Memorial Walk those who carried their ruck sacks had a goal of 35 pounds to carry inside that sack.
The very first year the Memorial Ruck was coordinated by one of Brandon’s buddies, Zac Harrow. That first year he gathered together some friends and family of Brandon’s and started the memorial walk from Brandon’s Banner in downtown Bryan to Brandon’s grave in Evansport.
A long 12-mile stretch, which they did to honor Brandon and remember him with every step they took.
Since that initial memorial walk, every year it has continued on the same anniversary day of Brandon’s passing, and each year the event has grown in numbers.
This year is the 5th year the event has continued, and it had the largest turnout that they’ve ever had. Nearly 50 individuals gathered at Brandon’s graveside on Monday morning to begin the Memorial Ruck from there and head to Brandon’s banner on the corner of Main and Butler in downtown Bryan.
Among those individuals were Brandon’s wife, son, mom, stepdad, and two siblings as well as countless other supporters from the community and those who personally knew Brandon.
Before the group departed from the Evansport Cemetery, Dan Bonney, Executive Director of the Williams County Veterans Service Office, said several words in thanking everyone for coming out for the event.
He then handed the lead over to his colleague Greg Hug who went over the path that they group would be taking, provided information of where rest stations would be, and gave instructions that everyone was to first put themselves as a priority.
If they couldn’t finish or had to drop out of the walk for whatever reason, to be proud of how far they made it and to come back next year and crush what they did this year.
Brianne Barlow, Brandon’s mom then went before the crowd and spoke. Barlow presented a short speech in which she first thanked everyone for coming out and honoring her son’s memory.
She then talked about Brandon and how anyone who knew him “knew how passionate he was about defending our country and also how much he loved and respected our veterans.”
She asked that today, as everyone walked the 12-mile path, that they not only remember Brandon, but also Michael Isaiah Nance who died alongside Brandon on this same day, five years ago.
She also wanted everyone to remember “the countless other soldiers who have suffered significantly from the events of that day…[those] who have taken their lives and others who struggle with severe PTSD” she noted that they too were the victims of this tragedy.
After Barlow once again thanked everyone for coming out to the event and participating, Bonney then directed everyone to begin the Memorial Ruck heading north.
After the Memorial Ruck concluded nearly four hours after it begun, the VFW in Bryan opened their doors to all those who participated in the event as well as paid for the food provided by the Willow Lane Kitchen food truck.
The VFW also came out and announced that every Memorial Ruck participant, of age, would get their first drink on the house in remembrance of Brandon.
Since the 2nd Annual Memorial Ruck, Dan Bonney has been heavily involved in heading the event up. This year along with the help of his colleague Greg Hug and his wife Susan, the preparation for the event was smooth.
While Dan and Greg walked in the event, Susan was a backbone for the three rest stops set up along the path of which were provided for the participants. The rest stops provided water and snacks to help the participants go as far as they could and to finish the Memorial Ruck.
Other entities within Williams County who were involved in supporting the event were: the Williams County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), of which closed their office in order to have three of their four employed veterans be able to participate in the event, the WCSO also followed the tail end of the walkers with their lights on in order to provide and extra measure of safety for all those involved; the Williams County EMS supported the memorial in participating with flashing lights and following the group as far as they could until other calls proceeded for the county; and Bryan’s City Mayor Carrie Schlade who participated in walking the first 2 miles of the Memorial Ruck with Grace before having to leave for another engagement. Mayor Schlade returned after her engagement to meet the participants at Brandon’s Banner.
The Brandon Kreischer Memorial Ruck was certainly a day of remembering a life that was taken far too soon. In speaking with Brandon’s wife, she expressed how much she misses him every day.
She’s thankful for the support she has and for everyone who has come out and participated over the years. She hopes to continue the event for many more years to come. She took a moment to share who Brandon was to her.
He wasn’t just her best friend and her husband, he was her “everything in one”. Grace promises to always do her hardest to keep Brandon’s memory alive, especially for their son Callum.
“I am very proud to be an American. I believe that whatever cause America believes in, I have an obligation to believe in, because I am a patriot. If I die in the combat zone for America, I do not call it a tragedy, I call it a glory.” ~Brandon Kreischer
