Reaching Out

Every once in a while a story surfaces on Facebook which touches the heart.  This week, for example, I saw a post shared on Facebook by the niece of a veteran in the United States.  What was so special about that, you ask.  Well, she shared the advertisement her uncle had placed in the local newspaper, asking for letters.  This is, actually, his last request.  James Wiitamaki, the veteran in question, is dying from cancer.

You won't find the post on Facebook any longer.  The administrators, for whatever reason, removed it.  You can, however, read about it here, in this article from the FOX news.

It doesn't matter in which country one happens to live.  Veterans who have fought for freedom in any country's military deserve to be recognized; deserve not to spend their last days ignored and lonely.  Yes, James Wiitamaki is only one of many who have come back.  No, this makes no difference to the situations of all those others.  But, symbolically, James Wiitamaki stand for them all.

I am sending him a card.  He doesn't know me.  I don't know him.  But he deserves to know that someone cares.

They all do.  All our veterans around this world of ours.

If you, too, would like to send James Wiitamaki a card, here is his address:

James Wiitamaki,

V.A. Medical Center, B51-2,

4801 Veterans Drive,

St. Cloud, MN  56303