On Saturday we had a veteran event at our community, which was very well attended.We unveiled a wall of honor, honoring our residents who are veterans or spouses of residents who are veterans and have passed away. The son-in-law of one of our residents told a story, about his father-in-law who served in the Navy. He had been serving on a submarine, during one of the conflicts, and was engaged in a battle with an enemy ship. They damaged the other ship and left the area. When they returned to the area, several days later, they could hear men calling out for help from the water. Gordon, our resident came topside and wanted to help the men in the water. His captain warned him that once you're topside your safety is at risk and he couldn't promise his safety. Gordon tied a rope to his waist and jumped in the water to rescue the men there. What they didn't know until later was that this enemy ship had been carrying POW's. There were two other men who jumped in with Gordon and helped him save these men....72 lives were saved that day. Their ship was only large enough to carry around 70 crew members so the additional 72 passengers must have made for very cramped quarters but what a difference, in the lives of these 72 men, that day made. This is an example of one story that we've heard about our residents. They each have their own story, some very sad, some heroic but all memorable in their own right. Linda and I feel blessed to live with these folks, at this time in their life, and be a part of their lives. They are awesome people who have given so much.
No comments:
Post a Comment