On November 28th, 2014, Retired Indianapolis Battalion Fire Chief Don Bollinger sent me the following handwritten letter:
Dear Kara,
When you want to write a thank you to someone for making your life more wonderful than just wonderful, there seem not to be enough words in the twenty-six-letter alphabet to master these thankful words. Thank you is nice, but it is not nice enough to express my feelings for the article you wrote in the November issue of the Broad Ripple Magazine. My life’s experiences in World War II, 53 years of marriage, 33+ years on the Indianapolis Fire Department, and being 90 years old/young on my next birthday have been the wonderful experiences I mentioned above. More wonderful is your article about the October 18th Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. The seventy Veterans, the seventy guardians, and the staff that made it all come true felt the love and compassion that only something this special can produce. We all lovingly thank you for telling the present generation about the past that helped form the present. With enough love and compassion, the present might make a terrific future.
Lots of Love,
Don
THIS! This is why I focused for so many years on interviewing as many WWII Veterans as I could. I love them, their stories, their sacrifice, and how they overcame so much and were still lovely humans after experiencing so much trauma.
Don’s letter is framed with his cover shot — yes, I was able to get him on the COVER of a magazine!
