VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — They won't be coming home for the holidays this year, or ever again.
America's fallen heroes are remembered every year at the Gold Star Family Evening.
The event recognizes the sacrifice of America's military fallen service members and their families.
It's not about being sad about the military member's loss. It's about celebrating the lives they lived.
This year will be the 12th annual gathering, and with 300 people expected to attend, it will also be one of the largest.
The non-profit Honor and Remember organization pays tribute to all military lives lost, not only while serving on active duty but also as a result of serving.
Military deaths in all wars or conflicts and all branches of service from our nation's inception are recognized.
"One of the things we so easily do as Americans is forget," said George Lutz, whose son Tony was killed by a sniper's bullet while he was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq On December 29, 2005.
Lutz says, the Gold Star Family Evening allows families to share stories about their losses, and in its unique way, is a form of healing.
"What we want to do is to make sure that these families know individually that their sacrifice has not been forgotten that their loved one has not been forgotten," said Lutz. "And the only way to do that is to bring families together to meet each other, to share stories, to share tears, whatever that might be, in a safe place so that we might bring some level of comfort to them."
Since 9/11, more than 16,000 troops have died in non-combat circumstances and 7,000 died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars alone.
The event is this Sunday, December 5 at the Founder's Inn, in Virginia Beach from 3 to 8 p.m.
Organizers will hold a silent auction online, and the public can also watch the event here.