Thousands remember their loved ones on Memorial Day at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery

BOULDER CITY, Nev. (KTNV) - "Everybody here, every flag is family," said Kathy Navin.

Thousands of people gathered at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City on Monday for the Nevada Department of Veterans Affairs' annual Memorial Day event.

"I'm in the Air Force myself, so I'm here to honor those who served, sacrificed and lost their lives," Mike Freitag said.

The ceremony included the lowering of the colors, a 21-gun salute and a tap dance performance by the Trumpet Alliance. One family told Channel 13 that military service was part of their family.

"My son just enlisted in the Marines. He graduated from high school and is deploying on June 19. I just came to talk to the father and let him know that his first grandson is a military man just like him."

Katie Navin says Memorial Day is a time when she remembers her first love.

"He was coming back in March so we could get married," she says. "It was a terrible loss, and to this day, even though I've been married twice, I've told both of my husbands that David will always be in my heart."

The keynote speaker was the Vice Chairman of the Nevada Commission on Veterans Affairs.

"I am honored to recognize our men and women and their sacrifice for our country and our state," Wendell Blaylock said.

Families say Memorial Day is an emotional time, but honoring fallen service members is what today is all about.