4WARD Project

4WARD Project Our goal is to keep the memory of Eric Ward vibrant while helping others and supporting causes that were important to him.

The fifth and final rock in the Disney series! ✨ Eric’s rock #26-031 was hidden by the Tree of Life in Disney World’s ...
08/28/2026

The fifth and final rock in the Disney series! ✨ Eric’s rock #26-031 was hidden by the Tree of Life in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom by Kiley & Garrett Horner. We are so appreciative of them taking the time to hide the rocks in each of the parks over the last week. Our family visited Disney World back when Eric was a kid, so he had been in these same spots, and many of our wonderful memories of him still live there.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

Eric’s rock # 25-033 was hidden at Sandusky County Fair & Agricultural Society in Fremont, Ohio during their Veterans D...
08/27/2026

Eric’s rock # 25-033 was hidden at Sandusky County Fair & Agricultural Society in Fremont, Ohio during their Veterans Day activities by Josie Jarrett, the granddaughter of Bruce and Vicki Meggitt. Josie is at the fair this week and keeping an eye on the rock hoping to see someone pick it up to take it to its next destination.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

Eric’s rock #26-033 was hidden by the Millenium Falcon in Disney World at Hollywood Studios’ Galaxy’s Edge by Kiley & G...
08/26/2026

Eric’s rock #26-033 was hidden by the Millenium Falcon in Disney World at Hollywood Studios’ Galaxy’s Edge by Kiley & Garrett Horner - their fourth this week! Star Wars was Eric’s absolute favorite. He had every light saber as a kid and anything that wasn’t a light saber became one once he picked it up.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

Eric’s rock # 26-031 was hidden at Disney World’s EPCOT by Kiley & Garrett Horner - their third this week! They said a ...
08/25/2026

Eric’s rock # 26-031 was hidden at Disney World’s EPCOT by Kiley & Garrett Horner - their third this week! They said a food and wine festival is this week, so there’s a great chance the rock will be found fast.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

Eric’s rock # 26-034 was hidden at Disney World in Disney Springs by Kiley & Garrett Horner. They are hiding a series o...
08/24/2026

Eric’s rock # 26-034 was hidden at Disney World in Disney Springs by Kiley & Garrett Horner. They are hiding a series of rocks in the area.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

Eric’s rock # 26-030 was hidden at Disney World in Magic Kingdom by Kiley & Garrett Horner. They had a wonderful idea t...
08/23/2026

Eric’s rock # 26-030 was hidden at Disney World in Magic Kingdom by Kiley & Garrett Horner. They had a wonderful idea to hide a rock in each of the parks.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

08/22/2026

Til Valhalla, we'll lift up your sword, and just like you, we'll pay it forward. 💚🇺🇸

It's been 10 years since we lost Eric - son, brother, friend, soldier, student. Always loved.

He always chose kindness for others. We will continue his community service and help others to honor his name and make sure he is never forgotten.

This song tells Eric's story and shows his full life to show how lived, rather than how he died. Written as if his mom, Kendra, was speaking to him, it was made possible by Freedom Sings USA. This non-profit helps veterans tell their stories through custom-written songs by industry professionals.

Kendra was able to help write the song and was gifted it at its completion by the non-profit. Our hope is that it helps more people learn of Eric, help others seek help before choosing su***de, and inspire an established non-AI artist to sing it someday. We are incredibly grateful to writers Don Goodman, Steve Dean, Rachel Cintula, Dave Hill, Sarah Lee, and the other writers and veterans who collaborated in multiple sessions to make it happen.

We miss you more than we can say, Eric. We love you forever. Til Valhalla. 💚

Bret Michaels Captain Mark Kelly

Like every year, the lanterns have been lit and will be shining through the last hour of August 22. They are to light E...
08/22/2026

Like every year, the lanterns have been lit and will be shining through the last hour of August 22. They are to light Eric’s way back home to us. We miss you so much, son. 💚

Last month, 72 people joined us on our walk in Eric's honor to commemorate what would have been his 30th birthday. We w...
08/14/2026

Last month, 72 people joined us on our walk in Eric's honor to commemorate what would have been his 30th birthday. We were so grateful for the kind support by all of the participants as well as Mary Previts Helton and multiple staff at Ohio Veterans Home, Sheriff Paul Sigsworth of Erie County, Ohio Sheriff's Office , Logan Williams of Rising Valor, Perkins Township Police Department and Tina of T-n-T Graphics.

We wanted to give an extra thank you to Brian Hendricks of Wear-A-Print. He approached us wanting to provide t-shirts to the participants, no matter how many there were. At his expense, he designed and produced all of the shirts and handed them out directly to the walkers at no charge. We thought the design was so cool that we framed it and added them to the back of the weighted rucks we carried so they'd still be visible. Thank you, Brian, for everything you did to help the participants leave with a quality memento of their effort to help remember Eric.

Through this event that carried a lot of pain for us, we are at the same time appreciative for the things that people do to simply just be kind. It matters.

Eric's rock # 22-221 was hidden during the Five Finger Death Punch concert at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, O...
08/13/2026

Eric's rock # 22-221 was hidden during the Five Finger Death Punch concert at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio by one of Eric's closest friends, Mikey Jarrett, and his wife, Nessa. They did their best to get the rock to the band, but security did their job well and it couldn't happen. But it seems a band member noticed because Nessa got a guitar pick while holding it up for them to see.

💚 🇺🇸 4WARD Project exists to honor our son, Eric Ward, who was lost to military su***de on August 22, 2016. Eric's story and rocks are at www.4WARDproject.com.

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PO Box 77
Castalia, OH
44824

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