Veteren's Day Story

[matt770]

This turned out to be pretty long, so read or ignore as you are inclined.

 

 

I grew up an only child without a dad around and my mom worked 40-hour weeks in an office. During the school year I'd walk to school, then to my grandparents' house where I'd stay until my mom came home from work. In the summers I'd spend every day there, watching Grandma cook or helping Grandpa with endless chores around the house and yard. They played a huge role in raising me.

 

My grandfather fought in Europe in WWII and was critically injured. It happened at night after he had dug his foxhole and was about to go to sleep -- a mortar landed on his leg and almost killed him. Imagine the scene, 60-plus years ago on a battlefield in Italy, medical care was not nearly what you would get today in a sterile hospital. I don't know all the details of what the doctors did to save him but I know a priest gave him his last rites at least twice and obviously he pulled through or I would not be typing this. It was a miracle, plain and simple, one of many such stories from that incredible time in our history.

 

He lost his left leg just below the hip as well as a finger. When I was little I remember watching an amputee on TV running a marathon and my grandfather saying "He still has his knee -- they have much better stuff for that. I lost the whole leg, so they gave me this huge damn wooden thing that I had to swing with my hip. What a pain in the ass". He only used the wooden leg when he went to work; most of the time he was on crutches, empty pantleg swinging in the breeze as he moved around.

 

Once he was stabilized, he was flown from Italy to a military hospital in DC to start his rehab, which took close to a year. When football season started, he and the other guys would watch the Redskins wreak havoc every Sunday on TV. A few times, these wounded vets were given the privilege of watching the games live from the sidelines at Griffith Stadium. It was the Sammy Baugh era, one the high points in the franchise's history, and my grandfather became a Skins fan for life.

 

Fast-forward a few decades, I come along in 1971. At this point I could type a few thousand words about all he taught me -- about fishing, about faith, about gardening, not to mention the endless days playing 500 Rummy between dips in the pool while Grandma cooked dinner. It was a really nice life for a kid, I have to admit. Most of all he taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. Here was a man with one leg -- if anyone had an excuse to feel sorry for himself and do nothing all day, it was him. But he was grateful for the second chance he was given, and he lived the fullest, richest, most productive life possible. If you saw his backyard gardens, overflowing with tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, beets, squash, eggplant, peppers and berries, the rows perfectly straight and the borders edged to precision, you'd swear he had a crew of guys keeping up with it all. Not only that, he amended that soil with compost, and grew some of the fattest nightcrawlers you've ever seen. Come fishing season he'd flood the gardens just before dusk, then we'd go outside after dark to pick worms. He taught me to sneak up on them before they could dart back underground. Within 30 minutes we'd have plenty for the next day of fishing at Twin Brooks or Beardsley Park. When I got older we took his boat out on the Sound and went for stripers and blues. Oh, how that man could fish -- and there was another lesson he taught me, patience.

 

He passed away in 2000, but his spirit lives on in his 6 children and 12 grandchildren, and hopefully, the 3 great-grandchildren he never got to meet. I feel his presence often, though never as strongly as two years ago today. My brother-in-law is an executive for a company in Philly and an Eagles season ticket holder. One of his clients happened to be Joe Gibbs Racing and they offered him four tickets in their suite at FedEx Field for the game against Philly which happened to fall on Nov. 11, 2007. Included in this package were sideline passes for pre-game warmups. I was speechless when he asked me to go, as I've never been in a luxury suite in any venue, much less gotten to walk out on the field before an NFL game. Joining us on the 3-hour drive were a friend of his and another brother-in-law -- three Eagles fans who were not allowed to wear anything Eagles-related for obvious reasons, and me, the Giants fan who never hears the end of it whenever I'm around my wife's family.

 

It was balmy that day, perfect football weather. We stood on the sideline, a few feet from where Reggie Brown was catching McNabb's passes as he ran sideline routes. We could hear the balls whizzing through the air, and one got by Reggie, bounced once and almost knocked a guy over. You have no idea how hard these guys throw until you see it up close. So as we're taking all this in and snapping pictures, it hits me -- 60+ years ago, same city, different stadium, my grandpa was wheeled out to the sideline to watch his team, and today was Veteran's Day. I was already appreciative of the moment, but now it was more like reverence. I knew this was a special experience I was being allowed to take in, and I couldn't help but think the old man had pulled a few strings upstairs to make it happen. There were plenty of other people my brother-in-law could have invited, all of them Eagles fans who would at least have a rooting interest. He was not even aware of my grandfather's story.

 

After warmups we walked up to the suite. As we passed the Redskins bench there was a stack of Gatorade towels and I wanted to grab one really badly, but resisted the urge. When we got to the suite a nice buffet awaited and each of us got a Redskins cap (hmm, do I have any friends who like this team?). We made smalltalk with Gibbs' staffers, who were very cordial even when they learned we were for the enemy. I was given a bit more courtesy since my guys at least were not in the building. Later Gibbs' grandsons stopped by, and they kept referring to Jason Campbell as "Jason", as if they were talking about a family friend. They were nice kids, but definitely had a certain air about them -- not snootiness per se, but this was a typical day in their life, while for me it was something I would never forget. For whatever reason I was allowed to experience this day, I decided to just take it in and enjoy every second.

 

It was at halftime that I had an emotional moment. There was a tribute to our vets fighting the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, complete with a marching band. I was instantly transported to a simpler time...any concerns about my own life or the absurdities of 21st century America disappeared and all I saw was a stadium full of people watching a football game, same as has been happening for decades. I could hear my grandfather's voice in that instant -- "Don't get me wrong, this place is nice and all, but when Sammy Baugh would throw a touchdown, Matt let me tell you, Griffith Stadium would SHAKE..." There was one more Redskins fan in that suite with us, except he didn't get a hat.

 

 

I share this because I know there are some guys here who can appreciate the values that came out of that generation. Today we have to look harder to find them, but they still exist. Hopefully you had someone like my grandfather in your life; if so, you are blessed indeed. Never forget what is important in life -- hard work, courage, perseverance, family, friends, faith. And never forget the sacrifices that were made so that you could be afforded the life you have today. And to any of you who may have served, or have children who served or are still "over there", thank you.

 

Happy Veteran's Day to all.

[bpwallace49]

 

[The Holy Roller]

You, sir, have been blessed. Thank you for sharing your heart.

[Outshined]

Very nice story - thanks for sharing...