My grandfather's dad abandoned him and his sister in New York after WWII. His mother had a nervous breakdown and was sent to a sanitarium, so he (7) was sent alone by train from NYC to Wyoming to work on a farm.
Here's how that went:
Here's how that went:
He worked. Hard.
He loved watching planes flying near the city when he grew up and dreamed of becoming a pilot.
So he joined the U.S. Air Force and trained to become a pilot.
He served in Vietnam flying dangerous combat missions—was shot down and rescued...
He loved watching planes flying near the city when he grew up and dreamed of becoming a pilot.
So he joined the U.S. Air Force and trained to become a pilot.
He served in Vietnam flying dangerous combat missions—was shot down and rescued...
He met a woman named LaRita—an Okie who grew up in the same abject poverty that he did.
(She's totally gonna read these tweets later and be mad I'm telling people because people of that era didn't brag about coming from poverty—but clearly they should have.)
(She's totally gonna read these tweets later and be mad I'm telling people because people of that era didn't brag about coming from poverty—but clearly they should have.)
They married and had three kids and they took all of them to Okinawa during the war. She was THE QUEEN of military spouses—comforting grieving widows while praying she wouldn't become one, connecting family and entertaining/welcoming everyone into their home.
HOO BOY WHY AM I CRYING maybe don't write deeply emotional personal threads about your family when you have a fever/are sick in bed but let's keep going:
He lived. They came home and settled in Pensacola to be near our family in New Orleans.
He lived. They came home and settled in Pensacola to be near our family in New Orleans.
He continued to work hard and died comfortably surrounded by a massive family—his true treasure.
Every time I see this picture I think "he made that." He made this.
He came from nothing and now all of us exist because of it.
Every time I see this picture I think "he made that." He made this.
He came from nothing and now all of us exist because of it.
I know we aren't supposed to be so easily baited by the left but if there is something to be mad about, let's be mad at people who spread the lie that you can't DO or become ANYTHING you want in this country.
Imagine how many children hear that today and believe it.
Imagine how many children hear that today and believe it.
