Mark Pope Honors Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day

Mark Pope Honors Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery

While much of the country celebrated Memorial Day with barbecues and sunshine, Kentucky Men’s Basketball head coach Mark Pope took a different approach  one steeped in honor, reflection, and gratitude.

Pope, joined by his wife Lee Anne and daughters Layla and Shay, spent the solemn holiday at Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington Ridge Park in Virginia. Amid the rolling hills of America’s most hallowed ground, the Pope family stood in front of one of the nation’s most iconic monuments: the Marine Corps War Memorial, a statue based on the historic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.

But this visit wasn’t just a patriotic gesture  it was personal. One of the six Marines immortalized in bronze on that towering memorial was Private First Class Franklin Runyon Sousley, a native of Hill Top, Kentucky, and graduate of Fleming County High School. A true son of the Commonwealth, Sousley died in combat just a month after helping raise the flag on Mount Suribachi during one of World War II’s most pivotal battles.

“Proud, Humbled, Inspired, and GRATEFUL for these six Marines including Kentucky’s own PFC Franklin R. Sousley,” Pope wrote on social media. “So grateful for ALL the men and women that made the ultimate sacrifice, those who have served and currently serve our country.”

In a time when many associate Memorial Day with festivities, Pope’s tribute served as a powerful reminder of what the day truly represents: sacrifice, service, and the price of freedom.

It was a poignant moment of leadership, not just as Kentucky’s head coach, but as a citizen honoring American heroes  especially one who once called Kentucky home.