Friday is Veterans Day, and it is a time to be grateful for and to personally thank all the brave men and women who have risked their lives to protect our country.

On Veterans Day, the first person I think of and would like to thank is my grandfather.

My grandfather served in the navy during World War II. He and the other members of his crew had an extremely close encounter that nearly took their lives.

Grandparents are so important. They created your parents, and because of them, you are alive today. 🙂 Fortunately, my grandfather and his crew survived their brush with death, and I am here today as a result.

My grandfather was an extremely unique individual, unique in the way that I have not met many people like him. My grandfather had such a kind soul, absolute inner peace, the patience of a saint, and a great sense of humor.

He was so proud to have served his country, and he was so proud to live in the United States of America.

My grandfather had a passion for making others smile, being kind to others, and positively representing the United States of America.

I absolutely loved my grandpa. I loved the way he’d tell me stories about his childhood. One of my favorites was how he and his sister would ride horses to school. 🙂

I loved the way he would slice up an apple for us to share while he was telling a story.

I loved the way he was devoted to and so proud of all his daughters, son-in-laws, and grandchildren.

He was truly a genuinely good-natured  and compassionate person.

He always came to my school band and choir concerts and was completely proud of my dedication to music and the musical gifts I possessed.

When I was a senior in high school, I told him that I had the privilege of singing the national anthem at our graduation ceremony. He was so excited that I was going to sing our country’s anthem in front of all those people, and he was so proud of me.

Unfortunately, as it got closer and closer to my high school graduation, my grandpa’s health began to suffer.

When I knew things had really taken a turn for the worse, I went to his house with my guitar and performed as many songs as I could. He was so happy when I was playing the songs, and it relaxed him so much that he would doze off. As soon as each song would end, he’d wake up and say how much he enjoyed it. 😀

A few weeks before my graduation, my grandfather passed away. On the day of my graduation, I sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” with all of my heart and soul, thinking of my grandfather the entire time, remembering how proud he was to live in this country and to have served, not only in the military, but also as a wonderful human being in society.

In honor of my grandfather and in honor of all veterans, I wanted to share my cover of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

I want to thank my grandfather for protecting our country and being such an amazing human being. He inspires me to always strive to be a better person, to be patient, to be compassionate, and to always help others. ❤