A garbage collector was not going to allow an American flag to get put in his truck after he saw it in a trash bin. He wanted to get rid of it the right way.

And the individual who unintentionally flung it out managed to capture it all on camera.

Don Gardner spends hours removing trash from Emery and Carbon counties in Utah; he seldom stops for more than to transport elderly homeowners’ trashcans to the roadway.
Unless he notices the stars and stripes, a well-known design,

According to him, “I once took an oath to defend this country and our flag, and I still do,” he told KSTU. “Many individuals lost their lives defending and fighting for that banner. For the liberties we have today, a lot of blood has been shed.

A veteran of the Marine Corps, Gardner said seeing an American flag discarded in the trash infuriates him.

This event is not the first. He has salvaged at least a dozen flags in his 11-year career as a garbage collector.

That “makes me mad,” he remarked. “I become irritated. Sometimes, it’s an error. It’s usually done on purpose. That bothers me, so I just take it outside and take care of it.

In fact, Gardner had halted because the guy who had thrown away the flag just so happened to be looking at him.

I was wondering, “What is he doing?” when he pulled up and got out of his truck. Brooke Cowley “And I was frightened because I’m married to a veteran, and I felt so ashamed, like, oh my god. Why am I doing this?
Cowley then observed Gardner grab the flag she unintentionally discarded while doing a cleanup during the Easter holiday. She caught him on camera and posted the clip on social media to demonstrate to her neighborhood “what he did and to see the care and love that he gave our flag.”

“I wanted them to see him and respect him the way he respected our flag,” the speaker said.

Gardner said he would be pleased to take care of an old American flag or provide you with information if you were trying to get rid of one. The U.S. Flag Code states that an American flag should “be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning,” if you’re not in Emery or Carbon counties, Utah.

Groups like the American Legion, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts will also gather and properly retire flags. An American flag may also be disposed of at your neighborhood fire station.

Don, I appreciate your respect for our flag.