Throughout the course of American history courageous men and women have taken up arms to secure and defend the very freedoms we often take for granted.
“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude” – Harry S Truman.
This Veterans Day and always, let us never become so consumed by our own lives that we fail to stop for just a moment to recognize our veterans; to pause and say THANK YOU for your service.
I had the privilege and honor to volunteer at The Wall That Heals (The Vietnam Traveling Wall) this week; helping families and friends locate their loved ones on The Wall. I hugged them, cried with them and listened to their stories. The three gentlemen pictured below captured my heart. When I plugged the name of their loved one into my phone to see where his name was located, his photo was displayed; voices became trembly and tears welled at the sight. Seeing their loved one’s photo was very emotional for all. Even though I had never met these gentleman before, nor did I know their loved one, I was not exempt from the emotions, especially when they touched the wall for the first time. It was very humbling to be a part of reuniting this band of brothers with their loved one through The Wall That Heals.
I was so moved by my experience that when my shift ended, I couldn’t leave. I longed to help more visitors locate their loved ones on the wall. The brave men and women who died and are still missing while serving our country during The Vietnam War are not just names on a wall, they were human beings with families and lives back home. They mattered and still do! I stand in awe over the incredible task VVMF (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) completed by putting a face to each and every name on the wall.
I was honored to meet Cindy Stonebraker Reed, daughter of Lt Col Kenneth Arnold Stonebraker whose plane went down 55 years ago. Kenneth has a cross next to his name because he is still MIA. Cindy is the founding director of Mission POW-MIA and will be the guest speaker at today’s 11:00 a.m. ceremony. My prayers are with Cindy and the other 1,500+ families whose loved ones are still MIA.
I cannot put into words my volunteer experience with The Wall That Heals this week, but I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to give back to so many families by being part of this incredible opportunity to reunite them with their loved ones.
The Wall will continue to be on display at the Spartanburg Regional Airport located at 151 Airflow Drive, Spartanburg until 2:00 p.m., Sunday, November 12th. I encourage you to go!
