Thousands of people attended the funeral of Air Force veteran Joseph Walker Monday morning after the state of Texas encouraged people to attend the service because officials could not locate any of his family members.
According to several news reports, Walker died in November.
Officials asked the public in recent days, including on social media, to show up at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery for Monday's 10 a.m. funeral. It appears the story went viral, as a line of cars stretching for miles, according to KWTX, waited to enter the cemetery. The news station estimated there were as many as 6,000 cars waiting to get in.
Walker served in the Air Force from 1964 to 1968.
"Thank you so much to everyone who came out to honor unaccompanied United States Air Force Veteran Joseph Walker and lay him to rest at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery," the cemetery wrote on Facebook. "We are overwhelmed at all this love and support. We do NOT leave Veterans behind."
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush was among the officials who encouraged the public to attend Monday's service. Walker was known as an unaccompanied veteran, which means he did not have any family or friends to attend his funeral.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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