The students were not done honoring their friend Roy Blackburn. A group from the choir sang at his funeral. According to his obituary, Roy served in the US Navy for 6 years and also as the Johnson County District #2 as a Firefighter Officer for 25 years. Blackburn served his country and community till the end and we thank him for his service.
America is the land of the free and the home of the brave thanks to our veterans.
They are the reason for the freedoms we enjoy in America. Each Veteran’s Day the nation stops to honor their dedication, service, and sometimes, their ultimate sacrifice. What happens, however, the other 364 days of the year?
We can only hope they are shown just as much love and respect, but life gets busy and veterans can sometimes get overlooked…especially our older vets. A simple nod or smile can mean the world to those who have served.
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flickr.com
Sometimes people go over and above to honor our vets and when those people are students…it is truly inspiring.
This was the case when a group of students happened to stop for lunch while out on a field trip. One vet’s day was about to get a lot brighter.
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YouTube - KMBC9
A lunch break leads to a life-changing moment.
When middle school choir students from Mission Trail Middle School stopped at Pizza Street, they noticed a Navy veteran and his wife sitting nearby. The students decided they wanted to honor the veteran for his brave service to our nation.
“Can we sing you the National Anthem?“
Mission Trail’s choir director, Teresa Murray-Posey, said the students walked over to the veteran to thank him for his service. They also asked if they could sing the National Anthem for him. – kmbc.com
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YouTube - KMBC9
Roy Blackburn, a Navy veteran, and former fire marshal stood up, took his hat off, and held it over his heart once he heard them start to sing.
The student’s voices filled the restaurant. Roy’s wife, Carol, and other patrons stood up as they heard the beautiful rendition so they could also honor the vet.
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YouTube - KMBC9
The touching moment brought the Navy veteran to tears.
As they sang, the students looked right at Roy, who got emotional listening to them. After they were finished singing, Blackburn asked one thing of the students. It was a simple request but it came from the heart and the students could see that.
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YouTube - KMBC9
“God bless you…Do whatever you can for this wonderful country we live in.” – kmbc.com
It’s been well over a year since the students paid tribute to Roy that day. He sadly passed away on February 23, 2020, surrounded by his wife Carol and loving family. Roy’s family will never forget the thoughtfulness the students showed that day to their dad, grandpa, and one of America’s finest.
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YouTube - KMBC9
Facebook comments flooded in after the video went viral.
People were inspired by the students that day and they couldn’t help but share their support online. If they weren’t proud of their efforts then, the students certainly should be now after reading the many supportive comments.
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Facebook - WVTM13
Some of the choir students sang the National Anthem at Roy’s funeral.
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flickr.com
Now watch the heartwarming video of the Mission Trail Middle School choir students honoring Roy Blackburn by singing the National Anthem.
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By Rebecca Reid
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Rebecca Reid is a contributor at SBLY Media.