FREMONT, Neb. (KMTV) — 350 American flags line Military Avenue in downtown Fremont this Memorial Day, a tribute organized each year by veteran Chris Madsen and his partner Angie Proctor.
The display is meant to remind the community that the holiday is about more than a long weekend. Additionally, each flag displayed was once a casket flag for a fallen armed service member – donated to Madsen and Proctor.
"Everybody thinks we have a three day weekend and woohoo but it's not about that it's about making sure that we don't forget the sacrifices that those men and women made," Madsen said.
Similarly, 350 smaller flags line the street just in front of Madsen and Proctor's home.
The couple has organized the ceremony annually, but 2025 brought significant personal hardship. Madsen lost both of his parents back to back, which forced them to cancel last year's benefit event.
"And that has been kind of a whirlwind for us," Proctor said.
The loss of that funding made organizing this year's events more difficult, compounded by broader affordability challenges. Still, the couple pushed forward.
Madsen's motivation runs deeper than the flags and the ceremony. About 10 years ago, he came close to taking his own life.
"I was there I was struggling I thought that was going to be my moment," Madsen said.
A phone call with a close veteran friend in the middle of the night pulled him back.
"He picked up three in the morning just like that he goes Chris what's up," Madsen said.
Madsen served in fatality recovery during the Gulf War, an experience that left a lasting impact. Today, he channels that experience into showing up for other veterans who are struggling.
For Proctor, the memory of her father, Dave Proctor, keeps her going. Dave Proctor served nearly his entire life, including work with organizations like the Red Cross outside of active military duty. After helping found Memorial Park in 2018, Angie Proctor said she sees his lasting influence on the community when people approach her about him.
"They were always I wouldn't be where I am today without your father," Proctor said.
This year, the veterans benefit held in Dave Proctor's name returns. The event takes place June 13 and helps fund the Avenue of Flags, Memorial Park, and a veterans suicide awareness event in October.
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