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My 94-year-old WWII Veteran uncle is nearing the end of his life. He is hospitalized in the city where I live, which is about 90 minutes from my hometown where he has spent his entire life. His only other relative who is still able to make a hospital visit is his daughter, and she works full time and has a toddler. He married at age 50 to a younger woman, if you are puzzling the math, lol. I've been visiting him every day when his daughter or Son-in-Law can't make it. We are having wonderful conversations, and sometimes we just sit together. He is telling many stories from his life, He is re-living his many years, and I am benefitting from being present for that. Today he told me that the father of a physician from our hometown met Abraham Lincoln on a Civil War battlefield when he was 12 years old, in 1862.


My uncle has always been there. He has loved me and supported me since the day I was born. I've never known a gentler, kinder person. I know that I will remember and cherish these days all of my life.

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What lovely memories. I do hope you're writing them down, since that toddler won't remember his grandfather.

Thank you for writing.
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You should bring a voice recorder with you.
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Your post made me cry. Thanks for visiting your uncle. You did it for all of us. I had that warm experience while sitting with my mothers sister while she was on hospice from stopping dialysis. I will never forget it. I visited in her home when I was 8, 30 and on this last occasion. I saw her many times at my moms home (6 hrs away) throughout my life. It was a special special time. We on this forum have often passed those times with our loved ones and it is refreshing to remember how wonderful our elders can be when they are holding forth. Hugs.
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What a wonderful blessing for both of you.

I love to hear what my elders have to say and share. They have seen so many changes.

Tell him that I said "Thank you for your service Sir! I live in a free Country because of men and women like him and that is something I am extremely grateful for."
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Thank you for sharing. What a wonderful blessing this time is for you both
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A wonderful experience. Our son actually wrote and produced a play based on a relative who was a prisoner of war during World War11. He was held in Germany when his plane was shot down. I believe he was around 19 at the time. He passed a few years ago well into his 90's. He married, had children but never completely recovered from PTSD yet was a wonderful and charismatic man who felt gratitude for surviving while many of his fellow prisoners did not. He was proud to serve his country.

My son hopes to take this production further one day. Sadly right now there is not alot of interest in this topic even though his play which was titled Luftgangster received good reviews.

Soon all these brave souls will be gone so all you can gain is beyond special.
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