A walk to remember Army Spc. Jesse Reed grew by leaps and bounds this year.

Reed, who enlisted in 2008, was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan July 14, 2010. His childhood best friend, Adam Keys, also of Whitehall, survived but lost several limbs.

"It was a miracle that Adam survived," said Dolores Reed, Jesse's mother.

In 2011, Whitehall Township honored Reed by renaming Seventh Street Jesse Reed Way.

In July 2012, Heather Reed and Dolores Reed, along with family and friends, decided to walk down Jesse Reed Way to celebrate and remember Jesse.

Dolores Reed said the loss was still too painful to put together an event on the one-year anniversary of Reed's death.

Last month, however, three years after Reed had passed away, they walked again – joined by at least triple the number of people who had walked previously. Bikers from the Warrior Watch program and Legion Riders also showed up with flags. The Whitehall Fire Department and Catasauqua American Legion Guard also participated.

Keys also participated in the walk, which included a procession through Whitehall into Catasauqua underneath a flag hung by the Catasauqua Fire Department.

Dolores Reed said she was surprised so many came out to remember her son.

Reed has two children, Dylan, 3, and Jesse Jr., 2. The youngest was born after his father's death.