Page 52 - Summer 2019 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine - Online Magazine
P. 52
HONORING SENIORS
GUARDIAN
EXPERIENCES
by Barry Sims
Early the next morning, after I pushed wheelchairs and aided
J. L. showed his recently wherever I saw a need. About a
renewed driver’s license week later, Mr. Slaughter passed
for ID, and going through away from complications unrelated
an Honor Guard, we were to the trip. The family, feeling that
off on the charter flight. the Honor Flight enabled him to
The Baltimore arrival was make his final mission, asked me to
a lifetime event for me. As be a pall bearer at his funeral. I still
I pushed Mr. Slaughter remain in contact with his widow.
n the spring of 2016, I heard through the airport, total
a program about the Honor strangers were applauding and On the trip, we make stops at the
IFlight from a veteran and his shaking hands and saying thank you Marine Corps Museum, Arlington
guardian. I asked a few questions to the veterans! Cemetery (Tomb of the Unknown
and decided that I could probably Soldier and Kennedy Grave), Marine
act as a guardian; this would be a At the WWII Memorial, J. L., being Corps Memorial, National Air and
way for me to thank the veterans the oldest WWII veteran in our Space Museum, Washington Navy
for serving their country. I sent group, was honored to lay the Yard, Air Force Memorial, the
in an application, after finding it wreath at the Pacific Division. Capitol (where we go on the floor
online, and then waited. A couple We marched (and rolled) in with of the House and are addressed by
of months before the scheduled bagpipes playing, and he laid the our Congressman), Vietnam Wall,
flight, I had a call asking if I was still wreath, with his chest puffed out Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean
interested and telling me to send in and his blue eyes sparkling. It was a War Memorial, with some variations
my $1300. A couple of weeks later, proud moment, and I was thrilled to every year.
my acceptance letter arrived with be a small part of it.
instructions and details. At each of these memorials we
I was Mr. Slaughter’s roommate, march (and roll) in with bagpipes
At the preflight meeting, the evening and he began
before takeoff, I received some complaining of stomach
further instructions, met my veteran pains in the night. When
and the staff – lots of new faces I called for help, the
and names! My veteran was J. L. medical staff was there
Slaughter, a 95-year-old WWII Navy in two minutes and
veteran from Levelland. He was determined he needed
using a walker for short distances to be hospitalized. One
but needed a wheelchair to go very of the staff members
far. We hit it off well, and while I accompanied J. L., and I
knew it was a challenge, I felt up to was told to fill in for the
it. The staff was very helpful. staff member. For the
remainder of the trip,
52 Lubbock Senior Link
