05/26/2026
I interview so many people in my life that I’ve lost count, but I never lose the faces. I can tell you that whenever I interview a veteran, there comes a point in the interview where they either ask to move on, go silent, or where I can see the tears in their eyes. I myself am not a veteran. It is something that I don’t believe one can ever understand unless they’ve gone through that experience themselves.
In honoring Memorial Day, I can only share that from the moments I’ve spent with veterans who have lost friends, loved ones, and pieces of themselves they can no longer talk about, my understanding of war is that it is the greatest of horrors. Because I don’t believe we will ever see the end of war, it is so very important to give voice to those who have experienced it first hand. Maybe then, and only then, will we have a true glimpse into what is taken from humanity when we allow war to exist.
I mourn for those who were lost, and for those who have felt the fire of war in their worlds, across their lands, and within their homes.
The gentleman featured in this photo was a veteran of World War II, specifically the Battle of the Bulge. He is also one of the most honorable men I have ever had the privilege of shaking hands with.
