The sacrifices of fallen heroes are seldom forgotten. For America’s wrestlers, traveling to France wasn’t solely about Olympic glory. It was a journey steeped in history and honor. Ahead of their Olympic stints, Aaron Brooks and his fellow Team USA wrestlers made a poignant visit to a place of immense historical significance: Omaha Beach in Normandy.

One of the wrestlers, Mason Parris, had a deeply personal connection to this sacred ground. His great-grandfather, Vermont Marqua, whom he never had the chance to meet, had fought valiantly during the D-Day invasion nearly 80 years ago. Marqua passed away 20 years before Parris was born, but his legacy lived on in the stories and memories passed down through generations.

Just ten days before they would compete for Olympic medals, Parris, along with Aaron Brooks, Zain Retherford, Kyle Dake, and Kyle Snyder, embarked on a day trip to Normandy. Standing on the hallowed sands of Omaha Beach, the wrestlers felt the weight of history and the sacrifices made by so many. For Parris, it was a moment of profound connection to his great-grandfather, a hero whose bravery and resilience had paved the way for future generations.

As they paid tribute to the fallen, the wrestlers drew inspiration from the courage and determination of those who had fought before them. The visit to Normandy was not just a history lesson. It was a reminder of the values they carried with them onto the Olympic stage: honor, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of greatness.

To capture the moment forever, Parris placed his great-grandfather’s picture on the beach and clicked a snapshot. He even called it an “amazing and awesome destiny that 80 years later I’m here in the same area that he was to kind of feel and honor his brothers, the service they put in,” per USA today. Not just the beach, the Normandy American Cemetery was another stop for Aaron Brooks and the rest of the team. And channeling great spirit from this trip, team USA stars gear up to face a mighty contest this week.

Aaron Brooks and team USA wrestlers take over the mats soon

The Tokyo Olympics was an extremely successful one for Team USA’s wrestling side. They picked up 9 wrestling medals last time. But can the Paris squad top this number? Well, it looks like the USA side is coming in firing on all cylinders. In the 86 kg category, they have Aaron Brooks. He clinched his Paris spot by defeating the likes of David Taylor, the reigning Olympic champion in this weight category. Plus, he has just clinched his 4th NCAA title and appears to be in the peak form.

Next up, there is Spencer Lee in the 57kg division, who has been Iowa’s NCAA star. The stacked side also includes Zain Rutherford, Penn State’s triple NCAA champion and a 2-time world medalist. 74 kg will have Kyle Dake hoping to turning his Tokyo bronze into a gold this time. While 7-time world medalist Kyle Snyder is returning to the Olympic stage for the third time after Rio and Tokyo, and he surely will be on a gold hunt. Coming to the heavyweight category, Parris will be representing USA in the 125kg category.

Surely, this visit would have charged up Aaron Brooks and team. But can they have a successful stint? What do you think?