WWII veteran and prisoner of war asked by little girl if he’d do it all over again—his response is one for the ages
Sometimes, kids ask the simplest yet most meaningful questions. Whether it’s curiosity or innocence, their words can bring out answers that one will remember for a lifetime. That’s exactly what happened when a little girl asked a WWII veteran if he would go through the experience of war for his country all over again. His answer showed his love for his country and the future generation. Reddit user u/thenewguy89 shared the response their grandfather, a WWII veteran who fought for Canada and spent nearly four years as a prisoner of war, gave to the little girl.
The veteran, who served in the Canadian military, was stationed in Hong Kong when he was captured on Christmas Day, 1941. He spent nearly four years as a prisoner of war, enduring illness, starvation, and the loss of many friends. He was even transported on a hell ship to a Japanese POW camp, an experience that nearly cost him his life, revealed u/thenewguy89. Despite everything he went through, his response showed the depth of his sacrifice and love for the next generations. He told the child, "Yes, for you." His story was documented in the book "Forgiveness: A Gift from My Grandparents," written by his grandchild’s cousin, and the veteran also shared his experiences with students. According to the Reddit user, this wasn’t a one-time response.
In fact, the veteran has always maintained this answer. "My grandpa gets asked this question often when he goes to schools. The teachers usually have their kids think up a question or two for a Q&A session. He always answers such questions like this." The post gained a lot of attention, with many expressing their admiration and gratitude for the veteran. The Reddit user also shared more about their grandfather’s experience, adding a link to a short piece written by him with additional details. "I found a short piece written by my grandpa with a bit more detail if you're interested here." They also encouraged others to preserve the stories of their own family members who served their country.
"If you have a relative who is a veteran, get in contact with a local veterans' group (like the Hong Kong Veteran's Commemorative Association) and see how you can help them." The post quickly gained attention, with many expressing their admiration and gratitude for the veteran. u/Scummycrummyday said, "This was the first thing I saw in Reddit today and it made me tear up." u/Idraw_showerthoughts commented, "I'm so happy to see this. It aches my heart to think there are so very few of them left." u/the_quick joked, "Jesus christ... 3 and a half years in a Japanese POW camp. Your Grandpa must chew iron and spit nails. I can not imagine what he went through. Thank him for his service from us all."
Another user wrote, "Props to Gramps. Please pass on my thanks to him, from the daughter of a veteran." u/Lizzypie1988 kindly asked, "Can you give him a big hug from me?" u/breakone9r chimed in, "THAT is the definition of a hero. It's not just because he's got a uniform. It's because even knowing what he knows now, he'd do it all over again." u/Numb_Nut34 quipped, "And this, is what I'll teach my daughter what heroes look like."