In a solemn tribute on Monday morning, Coral Gables gathered at the War Memorial Youth Center to honor the men and women of the armed forces who gave their lives in service to the country. The annual Memorial Day ceremony drew city officials, military representatives, community leaders, and families of fallen service members for a moving hour of remembrance beneath sunlit skies and the shadow of the city’s commemorative monument.
The site of the event—the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center—has long stood as a testament to the city’s enduring commitment to honoring military sacrifice. The original facility, constructed in 1950, was dedicated as a memorial to Gables residents who served in World War II. Over the decades, it has evolved into a hub for community programming, yet its name and purpose remain rooted in remembrance. The monument beside it bears the names of local sons and daughters who never returned home from war.
Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson read the names of the fallen, each one punctuated by a red carnation placed at the monument by members of Boy Scout Troop 7. The scouts, some wearing the uniforms of a new generation of service, carried out the task with quiet reverence.
“Let us remember that the freedoms we enjoy were paid for by the lives of the patriots who heard the call of duty,” said Fred Couceyro, the city’s Community Recreation Director, who served as the master of ceremonies.
Mayor Vince Lago also addressed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of civic unity and collective memory. “It’s important that we stand here together, as a community, to show that Coral Gables remembers,” he said. He praised the event as an example of public service transcending politics—although the ceremony’s program listed Commissioner Melissa Castro as scheduled to read a poem, she was not in attendance, nor was Commissioner Ariel Fernandez.
Special guest Major General Alex Reina, Deputy Commander for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs at U.S. Southern Command, offered the keynote remarks. Speaking just miles from the command’s Miami headquarters, Reina underscored the gravity of Memorial Day as more than a long weekend or a passing tradition. “It is a day of gratitude and reflection,” he said. “For those of us who serve and have served, it is personal.”
The ceremony also included remarks from Commissioner Richard Lara, who read a poem honoring the fallen, and from former Mayor Don Slesnick, who introduced Major General Reina. Staff members representing U.S. Senator Rick Scott and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody also offered brief comments.
Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson read the names of the fallen, each one punctuated by a red carnation placed at the monument by members of Boy Scout Troop 7.
While the ceremony followed a familiar structure—prayers, poems, and placement of flowers—the moment served as a fresh reminder of the lives behind the names. For families seated near the front, some of whom have attended the ceremony for years, Memorial Day is not a ritual but a form of continuity, ensuring their loved ones are never forgotten by the city they once called home.
The Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center continues to serve as a rare civic space that blends purpose with memory. It hosts fitness classes, youth sports, and senior programs throughout the year—but on Memorial Day, it reclaims its foundational role: as a living memorial to the cost of freedom.
As the morning concluded, the crowd remained still as a bugler played “Taps,” a final note of farewell to the fallen. The flag was raised once again to full staff, and the city returned to its rhythms. But for a time, Coral Gables paused to remember.
