Remembering the fallen heroes
In 1976, Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens founder John Armiger Sr. set aside 330 burial spaces for members of the Maryland public safety community who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Ten years later, his son John Armiger Jr. created Fallen Heroes day, an annual ceremony that formally honors them and their families. Over the years, 171 fallen heroes have been honored since that first ceremony in 1986. Of those, 100 have been law enforcement officers and 71 have been fire fighters. Ten are women.