Dear Friends,
Today is Memorial Day. It’s a day when many Americans take
time to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers who laid down
their lives to protect our country.
Laying down your life
for others. As a civilian, it’s hard to imagine the amount of bravery and selflessness
it takes to make such a great sacrifice. It’s one of the many things that we
admire about servicemen and women. That they have the courage, patriotism, and selflessness
to put themselves in the line of fire to protect others. Every day, our
servicemen and women lay down their lives for people that they might not even
know and may never meet. People who might not even be aware of their sacrifice.
People who might have never stopped and said thank you.
Memorial Day is a day that reminds us just how amazing our
servicemen and women are. They sacrifice themselves for people like you and me,
and they never ask for anything in return. No recognition, not even a thank
you.
A friend of mine shared a heart-warming story about a WW2 Army Veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient. His name is Bill
Crawford, and he worked as a squadron janitor at the US Air Force Academy during
the 1970s. Mr. Crawford worked diligently, keeping the entire dormitory
spotless. He did his job diligently and with honor. Unfortunately, due to his
humble position, many people overlooked him.
This all changed when one cadet found out that Mr. Crawford,
was in-fact a WW2 Army veteran who received the Medal of Honor. After this
discovery, all the cadets took the time to say hi to Mr. Crawford. They even
began to invite Mr. Crawford to formal squadron functions.
One cadet asked Mr. Crawford why he didn’t mention receiving
a Medal of Honor. In response, Mr. Crawford said: “That was one day in my life
and it happened a long time ago.”
Mr. Crawford was a silent hero. He didn’t ask for
recognition, he never even mentioned his valiant service.
This story reminds us that there are unsung heroes among us.
They might be a neighbor, an acquaintance, maybe even your janitor. Keep an eye
out for these heroes among us. Let’s honor the example of Mr. Crawford by treating everyone with respect, and by thanking and supporting our brave servicemen and women.
God Bless,
Jonathan A. Lu
Here's a link to the full story of Mr. Crawford:
