Jeremy Tyler Finlay
With every new chafe around the shoulder...a reminder of the pain my grandfather endured to let me enjoy a day like this.
For grandpa - Robert Reese.
1943, he found himself in the middle of a fox hole, when suddenly a Grenade landed in it.
He looked down, and prepared to meet his maker.
Eyes closed, jaw clenched, he waited...
Until nothing happened.
It was a dud.
And that dud was a miracle.
World War 2 wasn’t kind to him when he almost lost both feet from frost bite, but he survived when his father passed suddenly right before the infamous D-Day.
Fatefully, he was sent home for the funeral and just barely escaped death again by mourning the death of his father; rather than dying at the Battle of Normandy.
And all because someone improperly packaged a grenade that day, I sit here alive.
Robert was also a fantastic opera singer... always lighting up a room.
Because of him, I learned how to be loud and fun and bring people joy through song. I witnessed his love for life and wanted to emulate it.
15 years ago, he passed from Alzheimer’s.
Today, I honor him, and the men he went to battle with by going to battle with men I’ve gone to my own war with (Sam and Todd are both Warrior guys), by doing MURPH.
1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 air squats
1 mile run
Todd showed up with a 20 pound weighted vest, and offered it to me. I took it, and thought I wouldn’t make it.
I did.
With every new chafe around the shoulder a reminder of the pain my grand father endured to let me enjoy a day like this.
About 1 hour and 10 minutes later, we completed.
Not the fastest time, but I didn’t quit.
The pain felt good.
Then we celebrated with a little pickle ball.
Lost two games, won one of ‘em.
Can’t always have it your way.
Grandpa... thank you.
For the sacrifice and for the love.
I honor all the men who have served our country.
I’ll never truly know the suffering, but the least I can do is go through a little pain to remember and honor you.