Cincinnati Premiere Documentary at Field of Memories
When: May 24 & May 25
Location: Arlington Lakeside Chapel
“Defying Death on the Atlantic” Documentary Screening on May 24 & May 25
This Memorial Day Weekend, Arlington Memorial Gardens marks the 10th anniversary of The Field of Memories, a stirring tribute that transforms our grounds into a sea of American flags—each one dedicated to a hero. As we reach this milestone year, we reflect on a decade of remembrance and elevate our celebration with the remarkable story of Cincinnati native and U.S. veteran Tommy Hester.
Tommy Hester is the featured speaker at this year’s Lunch With a Veteran event on Sunday, May 25, at 11:30 a.m. His story — one of extreme endurance, mental resilience, and the unbreakable bond of service — will anchor this year’s theme of courage, sacrifice, and survival.
Hester and his teammates from “Team Fight Oar Die” — Will Janssen, Nicholas Rahn, and Chad Miller — are all U.S. military veterans who took on The World’s Toughest Row, a 3,000-mile transatlantic challenge designed to raise awareness for veterans experiencing mental illness. But 800 miles from the nearest land, their rowboat was struck by a 30-foot wave and capsized. Their harrowing story of survival is now the subject of the new PBS documentary Defying Death on the Atlantic.
As part of the weekend, Arlington is proud to host the Cincinnati premiere of the documentary, with three showings in our Lakeside Chapel:
- Saturday, May 24 | 1 PM and 4 PM
- Sunday, May 25 | 2 PM
Tommy Hester, now Vice President and Co-Founder of Heroic Expeditions, Inc., a nonprofit that empowers veterans to reclaim their identity and find healing through extreme outdoor challenges, will introduce the film and discuss his journey.
Documentary Trailer
“Team Fight Oar Die” crew member Tommy Hester, an Air Force Veteran and Cincinnati native who served in Iraq, will share his journey and introduce the one-hour documentary before each scheduled showing.
Behind-the-Scene Photos
