Snapshot: A Moment to Remember
A heartbreaking encounter between two men who know the ultimate price of defending freedom and democracy
Today is not just a day to look back at the defense of democracy on the beaches of Normandy, when over 4,000 allied soldiers sacrificed their lives in the fight against the Nazis. Today is a day to reconfirm the commitment to democracy in Ukraine and America and beyond.
The meaning of this 80th anniversary of D-Day—when so few of that battle’s survivors are still with us—hit me hard when I saw this video. Honestly, it made me cry. I share with you the heartbreaking exchange between Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Melvin Hurwitz, a 99-year-old D-Day veteran. Heartbreaking—and inspirational— because each of them know the ultimate cost of defending democracy.
“You’re the savior of the people, you bring tears to my eyes.”
“No, no, you saved Europe.”
“My hero.”
“No, you are our hero.”
“I pray for you.”
Please take a minute to watch this. I hope you are as nourished by it as I am.
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Thank you Steven for forwarding this heartwarming and hopeful scene between 2 men who fought wars 80 years apart. It brought tears to my eyes, not only for the past and present that it represents, but also for the future of America and its allies.
Tears are still at the corners of my eyes, Steven. I just finished copying a comment on Dan Rather's post a few minutes ago that I made about my mother's experience upon landing on that beach on the third day. Seeing Zelinsky with one of the last of our vets ties the long struggle together. It is forevr on going. We forget and get too comfortable at our peril. I'll put it here also, just because.I recomend
TCin LA and Dan Rather's posts to all.
Thank you, Tom, for painting the picture in close feeling and detail. My mother would approve.I believe it was day three when she waded ashore from a stranded landing craft, big bag of medical supplies ballanced on her head. This twenty-three year old Iowa farm girl who had never seen the ocean before, saw a long flat beach, covered with human bodies, as her group fanned out to triage. The ones who could be saved were flagged, while those who could not, she held there hands until they went limp after she told them they were loved and would never be forgotten, as she pressed that long needle with morphine into them. She was with a front line field evac, all the way to the Elb River, waving to the Red Army soldiers on the other side. She never talked about the beach, that day. After thirty some years as a trauma nurse, strong would not be close in describing my Mom. She and many others like her, kept our guys alive to fight again. Lest we forget