11-year-old Nicholas Pinkerton transforms his gratitude into action, launching a non-profit to clean up veterans’ graves in community/municipal cemeteries.
SPRING BRANCH, Texas — A fifth grade student in Spring Branch is making waves in his community.
What started as a simple act of gratitude for local veterans is turning into a powerful movement.
11-year-old Nicholas Aidan Pinkerton, the youngest member in his chamber of commerce, is restoring dignity one grave at a time.
When 11-year-old Nicholas Pinkerton saw a need, he couldn’t sit back and wait for someone else to fix it.
He took matters into his own hands.
“They risked their life to protect our country and we can’t just leave their graves all messed up,” said Pinkerton. “I don’t think that’s right.”
Pinkerton learned community cemeteries, where 78% of our nation’s veterans are buried, don’t get the same attention as the pristine national cemeteries.
“[The gravestones] were all buried, ant piles all over them. Some were even sunk in the ground,” Pinkerton recalled. “The next day we came out and we started cleaning them for eight hours that day. My dad thought I would quit, but I didn’t.”
According to the Texas Historical Commission, community cemeteries are often managed by non-profits that rely almost exclusively on donations to fund their maintenance.
Carlyn Copeland Hammons, Cemetery Preservation Program Specialist with the Texas Historical Commission, said, “Upkeep of grave markers themselves usually falls to families and/or local volunteer organizations that have permissions to work in the cemeteries. A challenge for the state is that many community cemetery associations experience issues with funding and volunteers. We estimate that about one-third of the estimated 16,000 cemeteries in Texas do not have an active caretaker organization. The contributions of these associations and volunteers make a big difference to the preservation of these precious places.”
Cleaning every grave at a municipal cemetery in Texas is an enormous undertaking. So Pinkerton, with the help of his father Nick — who is also a veteran — started the non-profit Warriors Remembrance Foundation.
Their mission is to shed light on a silent issue: The inconsistent recognition of veterans buried outside the national cemeteries. They aim to bridge this gap, ensuring all veterans receive the honor and recognition they’ve earned.
In addition, as written on their website, “…while the VA offers support for veterans’ burial expenses, the process remains fraught with challenges, particularly for families navigating the complexities of grief and administrative procedures.”
Warriors Remembrance Foundation is reaching families directly to help.
“We’re trying to get a law where they will have perpetual care and the veterans don’t have to rely on families to do everything. They might not even have a family. The family might move away, they might pass away. That’s how this stuff happens,” Pinkerton explained.
Pinkerton knew to gain supporters, he would have to get out into the community to spread the word about his cause.
His efforts earned the support from the Bulverde Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce. Pinkerton soon joined the organization as its youngest member in history.
“Tears in our eyes, going, we love the fact that there’s an 11-year-old that has that much heart. Then, he was only 10…To my knowledge, there hasn’t been an effort like his,” said Rhonda Zunker, President of the chamber. “Our veteran community is growing out here, with our proximity to San Antonio. We’re trying to build the veteran community as far as a family, and as that happens, hopefully we’ll see more volunteers giving back in that community.”
So far, Nicholas and his father have cleaned up eight cemeteries.
“Resetting, cleaning, putting up medallions — 250 of them,” said Pinkerton.
Through meticulous research, the pair have also identified additional veterans buried in local cemeteries. They work to ensure every grave is marked with a clear indication of the individual’s service in the United States military, even specifying the veteran’s respective branch in the bronze medallion attached to their flag post.
They even place a marker for veterans who received The Purple Heart.
Austin Naranjo, whose grandfather, Roberto Barron, is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in Comal County, commends Pinkerton’s dedication to ensure veterans are properly recognized.
Pinkerton helped Naranjo’s grandfather get a bronze plaque on the back of his gravestone, describing his service in the Air Force.
“My grandfather was very proud of his service…He always had his Air Force veteran hat on,” said Naranjo. “It really helps us feel that he as remembered for his service as well as being a loving husband, father and grandfather.”
Along with raising awareness about community cemetery upkeep, Pinkerton hopes to motivate others through his work.
“Nicholas told me he was inspired by his discovery of an unmarked Civil War veteran’s grave, highlighting his deep respect and commitment to preserving the legacy of those who have served,” said State Representative Carrie Isaac, whose district covers Comal County. “Lawmakers can encourage collaboration between local governments, veteran organizations, nonprofits, and private donors to support cemetery restoration and upkeep. Offer support to groups like the Warriors Remembrance Foundation through state resolutions and by connecting them with relevant agency resources to amplify their impact. I’m proud to support the Warriors Remembrance Foundation and stand with Nicholas and his family in their mission.”
If you’d like to make a donation to Warriors Remembrance Foundation, click here. If you’re interested in volunteering, or if you would like to get an official veteran marker for a family member’s personal monument at a community cemetery, e-mail theWRF@remember4veterans.com or call 210-802-1917.