Nominate a Loved One for the Wall of the Fallen

Now is a good time to nominate a person — a loved one, employee or co-worker — for a nameplate on the Wall of the Fallen memorial, which is on the grounds of the International Towing Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

This year’s Wall of the Fallen ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, September 30, 2023, during Museum Weekend, which takes place the same time as the Tennessee Tow Show. Send in nominations by August 1 to allow adequate processing time.

The Wall of the Fallen ceremony is an emotionally moving event for families and co-workers, providing public recognition of towing operators and employees whose lives were cut short. Many attendees wear tee-shirts or carry balloons with the nominee’s name and sometimes a message.

“Adding names to our Wall of the Fallen is something we wish we did not have to do, but it provides a way for the industry to remember the sacrifices of those who have left us and it’s a blessing for family members who can see a permanent memorial to their loved ones,” said Jeffrey Godwin, co-chairman of the Survivor Fund/Wall of the Fallen Committee.

To be eligible, the deceased must have been working as an operator or employee in any capacity at a towing, repossession or road service company. Qualifying circumstances include, among other criteria, death during the act of:

• loading/unloading a motor vehicle
• transporting a motor vehicle
• recovery of a vehicle
• driving en route to or from a towing call
• performing work duties at a company office

A homicidal death at the hands of a customer, robber or passerby also qualifies. However, certain exclusions apply, such as a death as a result of gross negligence, driving under the influence, road rage and death from natural causes, among others.

Visit towingmuseum.com and click “Wall of the Fallen, Request for Inclusion” for more details such as documentation and other information required.

Nomination deadline: August 1, 2023.