My wife and I spent the better part of 15 years caring for her parents, both of which struggled with dementia. This is part four of a 10-part series that will introduce you to Arthur and Barbara and our family’s journey. Our goal is to share our triumphs and challenges to help others.

Arthur visited with a younger generation of U.S. Marines at an Honor Flight gathering. — Photo by Randy Briley

There are no former Marines, only Marines.  During World War II, Arthur served in the Pacific theater, flying an untold number of missions, rising to the rank of corporal. His unit was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for the liberation of the Philippine Islands. Like many veterans, he never discussed his service with anyone until many years later.

Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring veterans by hosting them on a trip to Washington, D.C. By the time he was invited on an Honor Flight, Albert had already begun his long walk backwards with dementia, so I felt a sense of urgency to have him participate and was fortunate to be able to escort him.

After arriving in Washington, we were greeted by a military color guard representing each service branch. All the bustle in the airport suddenly ceased as everyone stood with a spontaneous ovation as the veterans entered the terminal! It was an emotional start to a trip of a lifetime.

At a group dinner, the vets were asked if they would like to share a personal story. Several told humorous stories about smuggling contraband into bootcamp or enjoying leave before shipping out.

One vet told the sobering story of how after he was forced to ditch his plane behind enemy lines, he survived two weeks before being rescued. The room suddenly got very quiet as the other vets reflected on their own solemn memories.

With their stories, the veterans’ shared sense of pride, honor and humor resonated.

Arthur and I decided to stop at the hotel bar for a nightcap. Upon arriving, we met two young female Marine corporals. They were assigned to our color guard and engaged Arthur in conversation about his service.

When it approached 9 p.m., I asked him if he was ready to head up to our room. He looked at the two young ladies and simply said “NO!” For a couple more hours, Arthur was a 20-year-old Marine again.

The next morning, we departed for the National Mall, where Arthur was soon approached by a tourist who introduced herself as a daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her parents had been residents of Nanjing, China during the notorious December 1937 invasion.

She was emotional when telling her story, and she thanked Arthur for his service and for helping her family survive the war. Arthur did not fully understand but was gracious in accepting her thanks.

Later, an American couple introduced their two sons. The young boys approached his wheelchair with the respect due that of a dignitary, and shook his hand, as Arthur beamed with delight.

All too soon, it was time to depart Washington. When we reached cruise altitude, the captain announced that 33 U.S. WWII heroes were on board and heading back home, the other passengers erupted in applause.

The captain then announced Mail Call for the vets. Following the time-honored tradition of service members receiving letters from home while deployed, each vet was handled a bundle of letters written in secret by family and friends in the weeks prior to the flight. Imagine each vet reading those letters, being thanked for his service to our country. There wasn’t a dry eye on the plane.

We arrived back in Austin late in the evening and were greeted with fanfare from families who came out to welcome their heroes home.

Arthur, now used to his new rockstar status, was eagerly shaking each hand offered.

Honoring a loved one’s life and legacy is an amazing opportunity for reconnection and creating indelible memories for your entire family.