BULLARD, Texas (KETK) – A Gold Star family is someone whose loved one died in war. To honor their lives, the Bullard Volunteer Fire Department began building a memorial on Sunday.

“All of our Gold Star families to come and find a place of peace, it is a place to honor, show honor and respect to our fallen heroes,” said Jodie Missildine, Gold Star mother.

No names are inscribed on the monument because Misseldine said it represents every fallen soldier and their family.

“Freedom is never free, and memorials like this reiterate the fact that there is a deep price paid, especially when moms lay their children at the altar of freedom,” said Missildine.

Missildine along with fellow Gold Star family member Robin Goodwin said this monument is a great reminder, but it’s not easy to see.

“There are always mixed emotions when we experience anything like this, pride and love, more than anything else, we have levels of hurt because these are our children, this is a representation of our son,” said Goodwin.

Liz Bell lost her son First Sergeant Russel Bell in Afghanistan in 2012. Along with the memorial, a flag her son carried to war every tour is on display at the Brook Hill School.

“The flag is here, and it means, it means everything to me, it’s his own monument in his own memorial,” said Bell.

Bell, Missildine and Goodwin said they can’t thank East Texas enough for all they have done for the memory of their sons, but they leave everyone with this message.

“Just remember them and ask us about them, we don’t like it when they think they’re forgotten, but just ask us about it,” said Bell.