God Bless Each and Every ONE That Has Served!
I am an American, and I thank God and our veterans every day for that privilege! Veterans’ Outreach wishes all veterans a blessed and inspirational Christmas season. This time of year is especially important to me, for I am A Pearl Harbor Survivor’s Son!
This year, December 7, 2021, is the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In current day, we are into the Christmas season. Try and imagine what the Christmas season was like in 1941, after the terrible attack on Pearl Harbor. My father was a paramedic stationed at Hickam Field, where that dreadful morning of bombings took place. He nearly lost his life, while standing on the porch of his barracks.
What ensued could only be referred to as hell-on-earth! He was injured during that attack but was able to help other soldiers get to the new hospital at Hickam Field. The wounded would have to be laid outside of the hospital for it filled up fast.
Many men were rescued from the burning water by my father. He bravely jumped into the oil slicked water time and time again to save lives for three days straight. He struggled with the impacts of war to his last breath. He spent much of his life preserving the history of the attack. He was my Hero!
My uncle, father, brother, son, son-in-law, and those that serve and have served – I thank all of them for what they have done in their service to our country. My brother, a Korean/Vietnam Veteran, passed this past July. This Christmas will be the first one that I will not have him. That is especially difficult for me and family.
Much of my life has been dedicated to helping veterans. The charity that I founded, Veterans’ Outreach, had the profound blessing of having 110 acres donated by a lifelong patriot of Kentucky. His wish is that we help veterans. So, we developed a plan to do just that – Heroes’ Passage: A Retreat for Veterans” is the projects name. It is a monumental undertaking, and it will take big sponsors to get it off the ground. We are seeking funding to get past the planning stage. We are seeking a Christmas Miracle, and it can happen. $100, $1000, $10,000, or more at a time, until we reach the magic number to break ground.
Check out our site, veteransoutreach.org for the description of the project and conceptual.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! God Bless our Nation and God Bless our Military.
John Ely
