Mike Kraynak marched with his son Nick, carrying the American flag for 11 years in the Galesburg Memorial Day parade.
Nick passed away in a car wreck in November, but that didn’t stop Mike from carrying it on Monday in memory of his son.
Gilson Boy Scout Troop 233 traditionally carries the flag and for over a decade the Kraynak duo aided in the honors.
Mike remembers Nick as someone always willing to help people.
Along with being an Eagle Scout, he was a committee member for Shave for the Brave, a non-profit that raises money to send veterans on the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities.
Mike tells WGIL the Gilson Troop runs through the Kraynak family. Mike has been involved for over 20 years and Nick was involved 11 years.
“Now in May I have a grandson who’s part of the troop now,” Kraynak says. “He just turned 11 and I walked with him. But I’ve been in scouts for over 25 years now. It’s a good program and the Gilson Troop is a good troop and great people.”
Mike says it was a tough day carrying the flag without Nick. Fighting back emotion, he says it was something “they had to do.”
Mike plans to continue carrying the flag in the parade and participating in the troop, even when he no longer has any of his family directly involved.
