Thousands of people attended a funeral for veteran Joseph Walker in Killeen, Texas, on Monday — despite the fact that cemetery staff did not even expect family members to attend.
Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery said last week that Walker would receive a full military burial, but that no family had come forward since Walker’s death in November and that he was an “unaccompanied veteran.”
“If you have the opportunity, please come out and attend,” the cemetery wrote on Facebook. “We do NOT leave Veterans behind.”
The post was shared hundreds of times, and several local news outlets and CNN’s Jake Tapper also shared the funeral details on social media. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also shared word of the event on Twitter.
Monday, January 28
10:00 am
Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery
11463 TX-195
Killeen, TX 76542— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 26, 2019
Altogether, more than 2,000 people attended the funeral on Monday, the Killeen Daily Herald reports. Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody, who was involved with overseeing units to help with traffic flow, also told CNN he estimated more than 5,000 people attended.
Thousands payed their respects today and honored U.S. Air Force Veteran Joseph Walker @KWKTFOX44 pic.twitter.com/tW5PHcFPdV
— Nohely Mendoza (@_NohelyMendoza_) January 28, 2019
The funeral was officiated by Marc George of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, who called Walker a “brother.”
“Today, we’re not strangers; today, we are family,” George said.
“I don’t have a lot of information, but it doesn’t matter, because once upon a time, like a lot of us other vets, he signed a blank check for our nation,” George said.
Walker’s rank in the Air Force is unknown, but he served in the Air Force from 1964 to 1968. He died at the age of 72 due to natural causes.
Incredible turnout this morning to honor unaccompanied @usairforce Veteran Joseph Walker. #NoVeteranLeftBehind pic.twitter.com/4MoJNXYK2e
— TXGeneralLandOffice (@txglo) January 28, 2019
“It’s completely overwhelming,” Karina Erickson, the Texas General Land Office communications director, told the Killeen Daily Herald. “This is something you kind of hear about on the news, and you don’t really expect to be a part of it. You don’t expect the community to turn out in such numbers for someone that they don’t know.”
“It really sends the message that this is Texas, and we don’t leave our veterans behind,” she said.
