Not one day goes by that Jim Jacobs doesn’t talk about his daughter.

“She is my hero,” he said of Master Sgt. Tara Jacobs-Brown, 33, who was killed in Afghanistan on April 27, 2011.

On Saturday, families of fallen troops gathered at VFW Post 2093 on Edgewater Drive to write and then send special messages up in the air.

Operation Love Letters allowed military family members who are grieving the loss of their loved one express their feelings. By sharing stories and remembering their fallen troops, these families say it helps tremendously with the healing process.

“Everyday there is a memory. Some days are better than others. Some days such as these, the memories are flooding back,” said Jo Ann Maitland, the president for the American Gold Star Mothers, Department of Florida.

“Some days you can feel their presence and honor them and thank them for being around us in one way or another.”

Gwendolyn Hannah with Survivor Outreach Services helped organized the event.

“We let them know on Valentine's Day weekend or Valentine’s Day how much we love them and how much we will remember their service member,” Hannah said. “And we honor their service member by doing a balloon release, and last year, we added a butterfly release.”

Jacobs has started a scholarship foundation in honor of his daughter.

“I just have a place in my heart for her forever. It doesn’t matter if she’s not here on Earth with me or not right now,” Jacobs said.