Bruins honor veterans with tri-annual 'Flags for the Fallen' event

BOSTON -- From Brandon Carlo's high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, he could see the planes from the Air Force Academy flying overhead. In one, he knew, was his grandfather.

Ed Ristau, who reached the rank of Lt. Col. during his time in the United States Air Force, trained pilots not far from where his grandson grew up. After an Air Force career in which he served in Turkey and worked at the Pentagon, among other deployments, Ristau would fly the tow planes, as he tutored the next generation of Air Force students, as he passed what he had learned on to them.

"I was always very proud of him," Carlo said. "I have so much respect for him. He's obviously a huge influence in my life. He's taught me to be very proud of this country and everything that comes along with it. I'm grateful for that."

It was Ristau who came to mind on Wednesday when Carlo, along with four of his Boston Bruins teammates, placed American flags in the grass at the Massachusetts Fallen Heroes Memorial in Boston's Seaport, and as the Bruins hosted Military Appreciation Night on Thursday in their game against the New York Islanders.

The 'Flags for the Fallen' event, held three times per year, around Memorial Day, Sept. 11th, and Veterans' Day, results in a sea of flags at the Seaport Common, a sight that remains for a week after the flags are set into the ground.

It's an area that gets plenty of foot traffic, people walking their dogs, biking, those who live or work in the booming area of Boston and where, in 2016, a permanent public memorial to the Massachusetts servicemen and women who died in service since Sept. 11, 2001, was dedicated.

Charlie McAvoy is one of those people who lives in the Seaport, someone who walks his French bulldog, Otto, by the obelisk all the time. He's seen the flags before, wondered in awe at how they seemingly appeared overnight.

"It's the first time that I've been here, but living in the Seaport, I come past this every day, I always marvel at it," McAvoy said. "It really is a special memorial that they have here. I see the flags planted at this time every single year, so this time I get to help plant them."

McAvoy, like Carlo, has veterans in his family, with his uncle retired and his cousin in active service. 

"Everybody knows someone close to them who is incredibly selfless and going to protect our country," McAvoy said. "It takes a very special person. We're fortunate to come here and get to meet a lot of those people, some incredible stories you get to hear."

Along with Carlo and McAvoy, Carlo's wife, Mayson, goalie Jeremy Swayman, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and forward Trent Frederic spent an hour carpeting the ground in the flags Wednesday. Frederic worked with two small boys, the trio placing flag after flag, each a foot apart, in row after row after row. 

"Just to be here and hear some of the stories and what they've done to serve our country, it's something we look forward to each year," Grzelcyk said. "It's an easy cause to give back and be a part of."

While executive director Dan Magoon was speaking to the assembled crowd, he noted that when Massachusetts Fallen Heroes was founded in 2010, the first check the fledgling organization received was from the Bruins Foundation. 

"Today, when you plant that flag, think of that veteran you know, think of that family member you know and just say thank you," Magoon said. "That's the reason why we do this."

The organization, which was founded by veterans and is still run by veterans, exists not only to honor the Massachusetts veterans who died, but also to help veterans and Gold Star families with opportunities. That includes the InnoVets program, which is rebranding and launching new programming on Friday, including a pilot program for veterans and those transitioning out of the military, training them in cybersecurity, cloud computing and software development, working with Amazon and Blue Mantis. 

Magoon said the Bruins are "like family" to the program.

"The commitment that the team and the Foundation brings to the organization goes a long way with serving veterans and families, but over the years it's been more about things like this, what we're doing in the community," he said. "Even just advice in our growth and being able to rely on the Bruins as an organization to help us get where we've come from and where we're going. 

"We're truly grateful. It is special because it's so deep-rooted in what we do and who we are."

Magoon has seen the flag planting grow as those who have walked by -- like McAvoy -- have stopped, have joined in. He's hoping that will continue this week now that the flags populate the Seaport Common once again.

"It's a hard reality that we have to face," Carlo said. "But fallen heroes, we want to make sure that their memory lives on, that they're respected in the proper way to be recognized for their service. It's great."