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B52G8rAC

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This really hits home. Brought me to tears. Marine funerals were tough….some were absolutely gut wrenching….all were an honor.

You knew they brought peace and pride to the families.
Been to too many but proud to honor our fallen every time. And its a little hard to type with the tears in my eyes.
 

Gator By Marriage

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B52G8rAC

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That was awesome.

I can’t decide which is worse: that CBS felt the need to add subtitles or the possibility that they were needed because that many of our fellow citizens don’t know the words. In any event those young women and men did an awesome job.
Wish we would sing the last stanza more often.
 

CDGator

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Nalt

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That rendition of the National Anthem in hotel is awesome. I'd love to experience that in person. Have you CD?

And here in Alabama many people still do stop as a funeral procession passes but not everyone. It is actually against the law to stop for one unless you pull off the roadway. During my MIL's funeral last month our vehicle was the first one behind the hearse. I could see some cars in my side-view mirror trying to pass the procession. Fortunately someone towards the back of it moved over to the left lane to hold them off.
 

CDGator

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That rendition of the National Anthem in hotel is awesome. I'd love to experience that in person. Have you CD?

And here in Alabama many people still do stop as a funeral procession passes but not everyone. It is actually against the law to stop for one unless you pull off the roadway. During my MIL's funeral last month our vehicle was the first one behind the hearse. I could see some cars in my side-view mirror trying to pass the procession. Fortunately someone towards the back of it moved over to the left lane to hold them off.

It chokes me up whenever everyone pulls over to show respect. It doesn’t happen every time though.

I’ve stayed at that hotel when kids were there making noise but not when they’ve sung the National Anthem.
 
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CDGator

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This post seems appropriate here. We've been going through some teenage crap with our son. Great kid, dumb choices. He got his world rocked this week and his life has been throw back into the olden' days of the 80's. No phone, car etc. His work calls all the employees in Saturday for a meeting and ends up telling them that they are closing down. Now he's losing his job too (or relocating them across town.) Last night was his last shift so we decided to arrange a family dinner inviting the daughter and her boyfriend to coincide with when his shift ended and enjoy one last pizza together.

Divine intervention happened and one of the delivery drivers our son met a year ago comes over to say goodbye to him. Son has spoken highly of this guy for a year. Right off you can tell he's different. A good person in a unique way. Always smiling and full of wisdom for a 26 year old. Lived a full life in a short time. He had a pin on his collar so of course I had to ask. Honorably discharged from the Marines. Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal of Honor recipient. We invited him to join us for pizza and beer and closed down the place. This "kid" was saying the same exact things that our son's "dumb old parents" have been saying for years and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Turns out he was a sniper that ended up too close to an IED on patrol. After they put him back together again, he came home to try and live a normal life. It hasn't been easy. In 2019 he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger on his Glock and it misfired for reasons he can't understand. He can't explain why but I know he's still here because he still has a difference to make in this life. I know we are better off for having met him. God Bless, Steve. There must be thousands of other guys like this out there if you get the time to just talk to them.
 
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AuggieDosta

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This post seems appropriate here. We've been going through some teenage crap with our son. Great kid, dumb choices. He got his world rocked this week and his life has been throw back into the olden' days of the 80's. No phone, car etc. His work calls all the employees in Saturday for a meeting and ends up telling them that they are closing down. Now he's losing his job too (or relocating them across town.) Last night was his last shift so we decided to arrange a family dinner inviting the daughter and her boyfriend to coincide with when his shift ended and enjoy one last pizza together.

Divine intervention happened and one of the delivery drivers our son met a year ago comes over to say goodbye to him. Son has spoken highly of this guy for a year. Right off you can tell he's different. A good person in a unique way. Always smiling and full of wisdom for a 26 year old. Lived a full life in a short time. He had a pin on his collar so of course I had to ask. Honorably discharged from the Marines. Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal of Honor recipient. We invited him to join us for pizza and beer and closed down the place. This "kid" was saying the same exact things that our son's "dumb old parents" have been saying for years and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Turns out he was a sniper that ended up too close to an IED on patrol. After they put him back together again, he came home to try and live a normal life. It hasn't been easy. In 2019 he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger on his Glock and it misfired for reasons he can't understand. He can't explain why but I know he's still here because he still have a difference to make in this life. I know we are better off for having met him. God Bless, Steve. There must be thousands of other guys like this out there if you get the time to just talk to them.

This is a great story, and I'm super glad your son is being positively influenced by Steve. I also got chills when I read the part about him putting a glock to his head and pulling the trigger. Cause I've known how unreliable those guns can be. :p :owned:

But seriously, good luck and may God bless you and all of yours.
 

Spectator

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R.I.P. Ron Rice
Hawaiian Tropic founder, kind generous man to everyone who knew him. I remember a party or two at the round house. I remember his cool beachfront home with no kitchen. The bikini pageants at the bandshell or plaza pool deck. Donnie Allison's car. I once drilled thru a 12 inch thick wall at his guest house to install cable tv. The Lambo from Cannonball Run was the supercar all other supercars were compared to.
 

CDGator

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CDGator

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“One day a very wealthy father took his son on a trip to the country for the sole purpose of showing his son how it was to be poor. They spent a few days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

After their return from the trip, the father asked his son how he liked the trip. “It was great, Dad,” the son replied. “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked. “Oh Yeah,” said the son.

“So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father. The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.” The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “It showed me just how poor we really are.”

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don’t have. What is one person’s worthless object is another’s prize possession. It is all based on one’s perspective.

Sometimes it takes the perspective of a child to remind us what’s important.”


1662925335740.png
 

CDGator

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This is America.

Hard working and ever loyal.
A half mile underground, grinding and striving.
Soot on his face and warmth in his heart.

I’d like to introduce you to Michael McGuire- husband, father, American.

140 miles southeast of Lexington it sits.
Pikeville, Kentucky is coal mining country, seven thousand residents strong, proud and true.

It was last Saturday night when the town folk made their way to Appalachian Wireless Arena.
Coach Calipari and the Wildcats were soon to arrive, as blue collar welcomed Kentucky Blue.

It was a year ago, and Pikeville’s Michael McGuire was working as a mail carrier.
His wife Mollie was a dispatcher, together with her husband trying to make ends meet.
Money was tight, as Mollie had just given birth to Lynlee, who joined then 2-year-old brother Easton.
“I need to make more money to support our family”, Michael said. “I’m going underground.”

It was three days ago, and Michael’s Saturday shift at Excel Mining was nearing an end.
Tired and dirty and dusty, Michael took a deep breath of fresh air and called his wife.
The Kentucky basketball scrimmage was set to tip off at 6 pm- he had no time to go home and shower.
Michael told his wife that he needed to be at the start of the game- it was Easton’s first-ever Kentucky basketball experience.

“I’ll take the kids to the arena and meet you there”, Mollie told her husband.
The plan? Mollie would find the family’s seats and Michael would join them.
“I knew Michael wanted to be at the arena before the tip”, Mollie tells me.
“It was so important for him to be with Easton when the scrimmage began.”

Sue Kinneer loves Kentucky basketball- always has, always will.
As she settled into her seat, she noticed a man that stood out from the sea of blue.
“The man was dirty, with soot on his face”, Sue tells me.
“He looked very tired, but he was smiling at his son, and his son was hugging him and climbing on him- they looked so happy.”

As Sue snapped a picture of Michael McGuire (top left), she was also snapping a picture of America.
Hard-working and ever loyal.
Soot on his face and warmth in his heart.
Sue posted the picture on social media.

It was yesterday when Kentucky Coach John Calipari took notice.
He Tweeted Sue’s picture, saying, “My family’s American dream started in a WV coal mine, so this picture hits home.”
“From what I’ve been told, after his shift he raced to be with his wife and son to watch our team.”
“I have tickets for him and his family at Rupp to be treated as VIP’s!”

America had fallen in love with a hard-working husband and father who is providing for his family.
The same father who months before had gathered clothes and household items and delivered them to flood victims.
“He really is the best dad ever”, Mollie says.

Michael and Mollie are looking over their calendar as they are deciding on which Wildcats game to attend.
“We are thinking of the Kentucky-Tennessee game, but we are so excited we may not be able to wait that long”, says Mollie with a chuckle.

“Coach Calipari called Michael last night and told him we will be able to meet the players and go to the shoot-around.”
“We are so overwhelmed at the joy that this story has brought to us, and we hope that we have brought joy to others.”

And so goes the story of Michael McGuire of Pikeville, Kentucky.

A hard-working husband and father with soot on his face and warmth in his heart.

The story of blue collar meeting Kentucky Blue.

And a picture that reminds us:

This is America.

#ShareTheGoodNews
*Thanks to Mollie McGuire and Sue Kinneer for the pictures
Kentucky Wildcats Kentucky Men's Basketball Southeastern Conference
 

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