My son’s school had a music program last week to celebrate Veteran’s Day. While I wasn’t able to physically attend, I saw the plethora of cute photos and videos from the evening.

As we snuggled at bedtime, we started talking about veterans.

My son is 12. I asked if he could think of any veterans he personally knew. He couldn’t think of any.

So I stepped in and started telling him about the veterans in my life — my grandpas.

My son met only one of his great-grandfathers, albeit when he was very young. Grandpa Benny died before our son turned 5, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t remember him.

It didn’t matter. I shared one of the family’s favorite stories about Grandpa Benny. You see, Benny was from Chicago. He was a member of the famed Polish street gangs of Chicago. After a colorful adolescence, Grandpa Benny joined the Navy and served during WWII as a Seabee.

One thing you should know about Benny is that he could fix anything. So when there was some sort of mechanical issue under one of the Navy’s vessels, they called on Benny to solve the problem.

Another thing you should know about Benny: he couldn’t swim.

As I reached this point in the story, my son started to giggle. He knew a plot twist was coming.

Not deterred by a small obstacle such as the inability to swim, someone tied a rope around him and tossed him over the side of the ship.

The issue was repaired, Grandpa Benny was pulled up via the rope and he lived to see another sunrise. And of course, come home, marry his sweetheart and raise a family.

It’s taken awhile for our son to get to an age and understanding of what Veterans Day entails. What it celebrates. What and who we remember on that day.

Yes, I remember some of the light-hearted moments such as my grandfather, a rope and a below-ship repair. But I also hold in my heart the veterans and their families I have interviewed or photographed over the years.

I’m excited to take a few extra minutes this week and walk the streets of downtown Ellsworth, where we have banners displayed celebrating our local veterans. It’s unlikely I will know any of them personally, but like my son, I don’t need to know them to appreciate their service.

Thank you, to all of our veterans, and especially to their families.

Karen Bonar Publisher