Issues Proclamation Memorializing Service Members Who Made Ultimate Sacrifice
Launches "Worried About a Veteran" Online Resource to Prevent Suicide Among Veterans and Service Members
Online Resource Helps Family Members and Caregivers Talk to Veterans and Service Members Experiencing Mental Health Crisis
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that tonight, May 30, 2022, landmarks across New York State will be lit red, white, and blue to commemorate Memorial Day. Additionally, Governor Hochul issued a proclamation for Memorial Day honoring the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for their state and nation.
"It is our solemn obligation to memorialize and remember the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our state and nation," Governor Hochul said. "Their lives and service stand as a reminder that our liberties and freedoms come with an immense cost—sacrifices that will be remembered by New Yorkers today and for generations to come."
The landmarks to be lit in recognition of Memorial Day include:
- One World Trade Center
- Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
- Kosciuszko Bridge
- The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
- State Education Building
- Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
- State Fairgrounds - Main Gate & Expo Center
- The "Franklin D. Roosevelt" Mid-Hudson Bridge
- Grand Central Terminal - Pershing Square Viaduct
- Albany International Airport Gateway
- The Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex
- Empire State Plaza
- Niagara Falls
New York State Division of Veterans' Services Director Viviana DeCohen said, "We remember these service members who gave all to protect the way of life we all enjoy because of their sacrifices. We commemorate their service by honoring all they did and gave in the ultimate act of service to their fellow New Yorkers and Americans. We shall never forget."
Governor Hochul also announced the launch of Worried About A Veteran—also known as WAV—a new online lethal means safety resource designed to help prevent suicide among veterans and service members. Developed by the Division of Veterans' Services and the Office of Mental Health over more than two years, this family-focused resource assists military families and caregivers with talking to a veteran or service member during a time of mental health distress.
DVS and OMH worked closely with partners in New York State's delegation to the nationwide Governor's Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families.
Memorial Day was first recognized on May 5, 1866, in the Village of Waterloo, New York, when veterans and civic leaders marched to the community's three cemeteries for grave site remembrance services honoring those who had lost their lives in the Civil War. In 1971, Memorial Day was officially recognized as a federal holiday and a National Day of Mourning and remembrance for those who lost their lives serving in the U.S. armed forces.