Social media, respect, and good human beings
Posted on by Kolbe
This past Monday we celebrated Veterans Day. It is a day to remember and be thankful for all the veterans who have served their country selflessly and bravely, both past and present. A sad fact of life for all people, not just vets, is that our lives eventually come to an end. When that time comes you hope that your loved ones and family are around to "see you off." When WWII airman Harold Percival passed away at the age of ninety-nine, he had no family left except for the staff of the retirement home he lived in to celebrate his life and attend his funeral. Because of Harold's service to his county, the employees at the home wanted more for him on his Veterans Day funeral. They took to their local paper and placed an ad asking for local veterans to come and attend his funeral. The ad caught some people's attention and it quickly spread through the social media outlets. The outpouring of compassion and respect that came forth for this WWII vet was enough to bring a tear to your eye. Harold Percival, a man with no one to attend his funeral ended up with several hundred veterans and civilians coming out to be with him as he was deployed on his final orders.
All veterans deserve our respect for their selfless service to their country, that is hopefully no new concept for people. However, to see this show of respect and compassion from hundreds of total strangers is a heart warming sentiment and not only demonstrates the kind of appreciation we have for our vets, but showcases the good humanity that is still present in the world.