Bristol 4th Parade to honor 3 of its fallen heroes
By Alana Cerrone
acerrone@abc6.com
@Alana_Cerrone
For Carol McKenna, the 4th of July in Bristol is a bittersweet time.
Last year, her son, First Sgt. P. Andrew McKenna was honored in Bristol by Senator Jack Reed.
A month later, he was killed in Afghanistan.
"I hope people continue to pray for our soldiers who are still in harm’s way…"
This year, Sgt. McKenna is one of three of Bristol’s fallen heroes being memorialized in the parade.
"I have to do this for him."
The parade is actually officially called the Military, Civic and Firemen’s Parade…this year that name holds special meaning.
Two months before McKenna’s death, Bristol police officer Richard Jean-Georges died surfing in Costa Rica on a family vacation.
Then, in late August, Bristol Fire Deputy Chief Frank Sousa was killed when his truck hit a fence on Route 136.
Their three families will be marching – or riding – along the route this year…but it did take some convincing.
"they ultimately all came around…some quicker than others"
Parade Chair Fran O’Donnell says the summer of 2015 was a summer of grieving for the Bristol community, which prompted her to honor the fallen heroes in this year’s parade.
"The families suffered a huge loss…but Bristol did also."
Carol McKenna will be riding in the parade with the mother of another Bristol native, Michael Andrade, who was killed in Iraq back in 2003.
© WLNE-TV 2016
