BALTIMORE — How do you honor someone who laid their life on the line for others, who paid the ultimate sacrifice? For Bonnie and Jon, you write a song.
"Each time we hear a siren pass or see those ones in blue, we thank the lord for giving us a great one such as you," sing Bonnie Kabara and Jon Wikstrom.
The soundtrack of fallen heroes day started with Kabara.
Since the first Fallen Heroes day in Maryland, she has taken the stage to share her song with people grieving their loved ones.
"It is a very moving and can be a very sad event seeing a young father pick up a newborn baby to come up to get an award because his wife, who was a police officer was killed in the line of duty," said Kabara.
Wisktrom's time singing at Fallen Heroes day started 20 years ago.
He joins Kabara on stage and has his own song – written for a friend who died suddenly.
"Yes, it's emotional for me, but I tell you, I'm showing up for folks whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice, and these people are in deep grief, and I can scarcely imagine the sacrifice their loved one made or what it's like to be there, their songs are a small part of a long, emotion filled day for the families, the impact is immense," said Wikstrom.
"There are a couple of folks who every year, Come up and say, 'I come every year just to hear you sing that, that song to me.' I said, I do sing it for you, and I could say the same for every person there," said Wikstrom.
When people hear their songs, they want them to think about the sacrifice and the risk first responders make every day.
"You know there may be somebody in that young recruit group that unfortunately their wife or husband or mom and dad will be there because it's such a dangerous job," said Kabara.
"You see uniformed personnel standing at attention with tears pouring down their faces, and you realize what they go through a little bit. You have a little window into it. It wouldn't begin to say I understand it, but you get a window," said Wikstrom.
Both Kabara and Wisktrom will take the stage again on Friday – singing their songs for families grieving their loved ones.
