By: Ariana Mintz

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Carry The Load made its way to Charleston. It was in Morgantown earlier Saturday and continued its 28-day trek to Dallas, Texas.

Drew Deleon is a veteran and works for fire rescue in Dallas, Texas.

He’s on an 11-day journey with Carry The Load, a national relay leading up to Memorial Day, where teams walk a combined 20,000 miles across different states honoring fallen service members.

“I’m just out here to make sure they’re not forgotten, say their names as many times as I can, tell their stories so everybody knows who they are,” said Deleon.

For Deleon, the mission behind the organization is personal as he’s walking to pay tribute and honor a dear friend.

“One of my Marine Corps brothers decided to take his own life due to mental issues back in 2015, so I got involved in 2017 to honor his memory,” Deleon said.

During their time in Charleston, they stopped at the Gold Star Memorial. The memorial, stood tall, honoring the families of servicemen and women who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Since Deleon joined, he has lost more people close to him, making the load he carries even heavier.

Their next stop is Lexington, Kentucky, as they make their way to Dallas, Texas.

For more information on their schedule, visit the Carry The Load website.

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