Words alone are not enough to express my thanks and gratitude to all who have and continue to serve; many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice for each and every one of us.
Today marks the second Veterans Day since the man I know and love as "Dad", my best friend's father, was called home by our Lord and Savior. He's not just a beloved father to me and his kids, not just a beloved husband and grandfather, and inspiration to literally thousands of people whose lives he personally touched throughout his life...
Dad is and FOREVER will be a great American hero and patriot, because while still a minor, he enlisted in the US Navy on Pearl Harbor Day, Sunday, December 7, 1941. I love you, Daddy, thank you!
May God bless all who have and continue to serve. We will NEVER forget!
It barely seems possible that the day, indeed the hour and 17 minutes, that changed the world forever, 9/11/2001, was 14 years ago now. I, like everyone else, will always, always remember where I was as the news came through that American Airlines Flight 11, bound for Los Angeles, had crashed into North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York at 8:46am
I was visiting friends and we clung to each other in stunned silence as we saw United Airlines Flight 175, also bound for LAX, flown into the Trade Center's South Tower at 9:03am.
All of us, each and every one, were soon quietly sobbing, with many around the world, as we watched the horror unfold in New York. Then in Washington, where American Airlines Flight 77, again bound for LAX, was flown into the Pentagon at 9:37am. Then in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the passengers on board United Airlines Flight 93, bound for San Francisco, overpowered the hijackers and the aircraft crashed at 10:03am.
The world as we knew it changed forever.
The world was and IS united in grief for the 2,977 innocents lost that day and the THOUSANDS of servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice since in the fight against terror.
We will NEVER forget.
God bless America. God bless ALL of us.
Hold your loved ones tight and please, PLEASE, every chance you get, tell them how much you love them.
Readers and friends, I treasure each of you, and yes, I love you! Whatever you're doing this weekend, have a great one. I'll be back on Monday with another creation, so I hope you'll join me then.
Thirteen years have now gone by since the day that the world changed forever with the terror attacks in the US. It hardly seems possible that the events that day, that I remember as clearly as if they were yesterday, happened all those years ago.
On September 11, 2001, I was 10 weeks pregnant and in the early afternoon in the UK, I'd just gone into a bar where I'd worked until a short time before. As I caught up with former colleagues while stood at the bar, the kitchen staff, who'd had the radio on, came running out and shouted for the TV to be put on. The bartender asked why and was told "JUST DO IT!". He did so and those of us who were in the bar turned to watch.
Within seconds we were clinging to one another in stunned silence as the enormity of what we, with the rest of the world, were witnessing; the immediate aftermath of American Airlines Flight 11 crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York at 8:46 am local time/ 1:46 pm BST. We all kept our eyes on the screen and my hand instinctively moved to my stomach.
The silence was replaced by screams as we watched United Airlines Flight 175 crash into the South Tower at 9:03 am, the aftermath of the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon at 9:37 am and United Airlines Flight 93 southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania at 10:03 am.
Although I do not know anyone personally who passed away that day, I grieve with those who did. I give heartfelt, prayerful thanks every day for the actions of everyone who risked their own lives and indeed the hundreds who lost their lives trying to rescue others. Without them, many, many more would have been lost.
I also give thanks and salute the thousands of Armed Forces personnel who have paid the ultimate sacrifice since, and in the face of continuing terror attacks I pray for all those who will deploy.
I will NEVER forget! God bless the USA and God bless all of us!
On behalf of Dad's beloved family and myself, thank you ALL for all your comments and condolences. They really do mean so much to us all at this very difficult time. We lost Dad's older sister, Janice, just two days before Dad, on August 7, so this is an unimaginably difficult time for us all.
Each and every message received will be added to a book of condolence that I'll create for the family. Can I ask those of you who have already left messages to please leave another comment mentioning your location, because I'd like to add those to the book too.
I'll share the full eulogy I've written for Dad when I've shared it with the family and or on the day of his funeral services, the arrangements for which I'll share when they're announced publicly. But for now I'll tell you about who he was, what made him a hero, not only to his beloved wife and family, but to me and everyone whose lives he touched.
Born in Oakland, Maryland, his love of horses began at a very young age and continued throughout his life, he loved going and watching the races. Dad's strength, determination and love of his country, my beloved America, shone through when he joined the US Navy on Pearl Harbor Day, Sunday, December 9, 1941. His parents, Spencer and Maggie had to sign his papers because he was only a minor, he was so determined that he wanted to serve his country.
After the war ended, he settled in Morgantown, West Virginia and attended West Virginia University where he studied dentistry and gained his Doctorate. He would later serve as Professor Emeritus and Associate Dean of the WVU Dental School. The family have a long association with WVU and indeed his son, my best friend Spence, still works there. When Spence graduated a second time from the university in 2002, Dr Graham, although retired by then, was given the honor of hooding him.
Dad has served on many committees, boards and has literally through the various positions he's held throughout his life, touched the lives of possibly millions of others. Many of whom, like me, refer to him and love him as if he were our biological father. I'm so honored, so blessed and so proud to be his honorary daughter.
This time last year he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and given 12 months to live. He showed then the determination, strength and love for his family that he's always shown. He fought his battle courageously, staying at home with his family until his very last breath yesterday morning at 5:55 am, when his Lord and Savior called him home.
Dad is my hero, he's my inspiration and I know that he's forever by my side, just as he has been for the last 5 years since I got to know him and his wonderful family. Thank you once again for helping me to honor a great man, a true American patriot, a true American hero.
It is with a very, very heavy heart that I bring you news that at 5:55 am this morning, Dr William L. Graham, beloved husband, father, grandfather, servant of his country and our Lord, ascended to heaven. I'm honored and blessed to know and love such an amazing guy and to call him Dad and I'll be sharing a further tribute soon.
Dr. William L. Graham, December 18, 1925 - August 9, 2014
On behalf of his beloved wife Midge, children Spence, Janice, Christine and their families, I thank you all for your love, hugs, thoughts and prayers during his courageous battle and at this time. All comments left on this post will be passed to the family. Thank you!
Today is a very important day, not only in America and the UK, but also all around the world, as we mark not only Veterans Day, but also the signing of the Armistice at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918, that marked the ending of the First World War.
Those of you who are regular readers of mine, will know that I've always, always been a strong supporter of the military, wherever they be from, be it my birth country of the UK, or in my adopted home of America, or indeed anywhere. What you may not be aware of, and what I'll share with you here, is exactly WHY today is so important and so poignant to me...
Come back in time with me, please. Our first stop is over 21 years ago and I'd just started tenth grade. The World Wars were to be a big part of the curriculum for the next couple of school years and because of this, our teachers had organized a long weekend trip to the Battlefields of the Somme. Immediately, I knew I HAD to go on that trip. I knew it would be so important, but little did I know at that point, just HOW important it would be, in shaping the woman I'd become.
I woke in the early hours of the morning on the day of departure, Thursday, February 11. It was still dark outside, just after 4am, and as I walked outside, the cold air hit me. As the coach made it's way to Dover, for the crossing to France, for the first time, I actually heard, and saw, dawn breaking. Once in France, on the way to our accommodation, we stopped at a couple of important sites, though in truth, I don't really remember much about them. Sorry!
On the Friday morning, our first full day, we piled out to the coach and immediately were enveloped by a thick, cloying fog, with minimal visibility. Credit where it's due, both coach drivers did a great job getting us around. The fog was to stay with us for the whole trip and that is one of the reasons why it made it such a life changer.
During the next two days, we visited many sites of importance, from crater-scarred fields where battles were fought, to trenches that were once occupied by both Allied and German forces. I'm not saying the trip wouldn't have been so important to me, had the weather been better, but for me at least, the difficult conditions made me feel exactly how the BOY soldiers would have felt; scared, anxious and at times terrified.
We also visited many cemeteries, where the fallen of both sides are at rest, and where the names of countless thousands others are inscribed, alongside tombs to Unknown Soldiers. Each and every stop on the tour was very poignant, but the one that really stands out for me, was the final stop on the Saturday night. We got into Ypres, Belgium, around 7:30pm, and made our way, with thousands of others, to the Menin Gate.
Here, at 8pm, I stood in silence as buglers from the local fire station played the "Last Post", which they've done every night since July 2, 1928, with the exception of during the Second World War. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that at that time, it was the MOST emotional thing I'd ever experienced. Since then, every time I hear the haunting tune, I'm taken back to that cold night, and my tears silently fall, as they did then.
Next year marks the centenary of the start of "The Great War", but now, with last survivors of that conflict having taken their leave and joined their comrades at eternal rest, by sharing our stories, such as this one here, and the same for every conflict since, we WILL remember them! To all who have served in the military, wherever you are from, I say this... THANK YOU for YOUR service. I salute you!
The video below, from YouTube, is of the ceremony...
