In October of 2012, 3 older adults from across the country made the trek to Washington, DC, together to visit the memorials for the first time. It was a very special experience for everyone involved, and they had a great time sharing stories during their trip.
Ralph, 87, of the Brookdale Villas of Sparks, NV served in the Navy for 23 years and dreamed of seeing the WWII memorials one day. Ralph is an incredibly decorated veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for his service to our country. After retiring from active duty, Ralph was very active in Navy recruitment and is an avid participant at his local VFW post. For Ralph, this experience was truly a dream come true.
Virginia, 90, of the Sterling House of Lancaster, OH, always wanted to find a way to commemorate her son’s service in the Vietnam War. When her son was just 20 years old, and only a month into his deployment, he was killed in South Vietnam. Virginia was devastated by this news, and, to this day, she displays his memorial flag on Veteran’s Day. Virginia wished to go to DC to see her son’s name on the Vietnam Memorial. It was truly a touching experience for her and her family.
Edna, 87, of the Terrace at Willowbrook in Houston, TX has been closely connected to the Air Force throughout her life. Her husband was a fighter pilot during WWII and wrote her letters every single day. One day, his letters stopped, as he was shot down and became a Prisoner of War in a German camp. After 6 months of silence, Edna finally heard that he was still alive. Thankfully, he came home in 1945. Edna and her husband always dreamed of going to DC together to see the memorials, but he unfortunately passed away in 2002. She has wished to see the memorials since, and had a wonderful time with this group in DC.
