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Created By Crystal Lee Norris

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More Info Will You give this to my Daddy?

As a Company, Southwest Airlines is going to support 'Red Fridays.'
Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed One of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.
When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and Cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our Service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said 'hi...'

The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her...

The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was in the Army and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.

When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second... Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it..

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, 'I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you.' He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying 'your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon.'

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.

As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority'. We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for country and home in record breaking numbers.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday - and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED.
The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is.....We need your support.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN INVITE EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

Bravo!

I will start with my Bible Study ladies, my Assistant League group, and those I play golf with.

What a wonderful thing to do - My husband is a retired soldier - so we have been there.

Ruby the Quilter

With tears i say AMEN to that

Red it is! And Thank you to all our Soldiers.
A Big HUG to you all.

God Bless each & every solider & their familes!
May they all arrive home safe !!

Oh man I am watching the program called Coming home and now this I am a blubbering mess. Oh I just love these stories!!

Amen!

I am Canadian and I will wear red. We all want our soldiers to come home safe. Let them be safe.

Me, too!

How wonderful thanks that made my day

When I saw the author of this I thought it would be funny! Instead it brought a tear to my eye. I am going to post the RED FRIDAY part on facebook to help spread the word. Beautiful story-thank-you.

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story!

Wonderful! I'm passing this on to family and friends. We all need to show our support of the military and this is a small way we can do it. (When my DH sees someone in uniform eating in a restaurant in our little rural town, he always quietly pays for their check.)

OMG......let me get a tissue.

I have copied your post and will direct it immediately to all my friends and hopefully we will "SEE that SEA of Red" each and every Friday until our guys and gals come marching home.

Thanks so much for that post.

MaryJane

Thanks Ditter, for a beautiful story which I will pass on to my friends...we will all start wearing "Red" on Fridays.

As a quilter and also bookkeeper for Quilts of Valor, could I also encourage you to make a top, go to the QOVF.org website ask for a longarmer to quilt it. It will be returned to you and you will bind, label and may then personally thank some one in the military by awarding them a Quilt of Valor. What better way for a quilter to say thanks than by giving them a quilt. We still so many quilts. Thanks for letting me speak on behalf of QOV, I'll get off my soapbox now. :-)

Your story brought tears to my eyes Red it will be , What a great story , I also watch coming home and can't help but tear up.

The company I work for has been celebrating Red Fridays for the past few years. We are very close to the needs of our service people, their sacrifices and those of their families.

A large number of our employees are former military and law enforcement and our products go to the front lines. This just gives us all that visual reminder of why we do what we do and who we do it for.

As a former service member and the proud mother of a deployed airman, a big thank you for all the support and caring from our great country.

Me too!

Thank you for sharing. My son and grandson are both deployed. Our families are missing them.

I think this is great, Ditter

Once my husband (USMC-Retired Now) and I were eating at Red Lobster, we ask our waiter for our check and he said it was already paid for and he said the person that paid for the check said thanks for serving our Country...

I was in total shock, and what a wonderful think to do for us, and someday and waiting patiently to pay it forward, it was such a blessing....

This has been in place in our area for a while. I started seeing red T-shirts etc and couldn't figure out why, so I asked and was told it was support for our troops.

Thanks, Red Friday it is.

Now that I've cleared the tears from my eyes - sending you a big thank you for sharing this wonderful story - I'll be emailing this on to friends & family and wearing red on Fridays!

Well, this is the first I've heard of Red Friday's, but I will certainly be in red every Friday from now on. Thanks Ditter!

Thank you Ditter for posting this. People just do not understand what it takes to send your only son off to war. Mine is on his second tour in Afgh.

Very good Ditter.
When you see some of our troop in a store in the US go up to them and let them know your surport.

Thanks for sharing this touching story I teared up so much could hardly finish reading it.We often forget how much our men and women and their families sacrifice for us everyday.

I personally will wear red EVERY DAY UNTIL THEY ARE HOME!!!!!

Beautiful story & brings tears to my eyes. God bless our soldiers.

I was beginning to tear up just reading this, yes, red every Friday. Great idea.

Absolutely!

Thanks for sharing this here. I have a young Canadian couple that are like surrogate kids to me. When he was serving in Afghanistan a couple of years ago, his wife sent this to me. I have been wearing red on Fridays ever since, and will continue to do so until all our service men and women are home, both Canadian and American.

Patti

I loved this story - I maybe have a personal reason - my son-in-law is deployed and my daughter is holding down the fort with 2 small children (my grandchildren). They both miss their daddy and I am so excited to say that he gets back in about 3 weeks. Please pray for his safe return - this is his 3rd tour and he is so close to getting back - thanks and blessings,
Scherrie

Crying like a baby, my quilt's all wet. I pray these young men come back into our airports with the same attitude they leave with. As most of you know, I have 4 sons, two are disable veterans, and I am so proud of them. Life is hard for them, constant Dr's. and hospitals but they still love their country and would go back in a minute if a Dr. would certify them.

OMG Ditter you just about killed me. I have had the flu and by the end of your airport story I was bawling and coughing so hard I couldn't breath and of course don't forget the plugged up nose suddenly in need of Kleenix. Such as great moment and as a Navy wife I can tell you that the little girl and her mom will hold onto that moment for a long, long time. Thanks for sharing.

I know what I am wearing this Friday! :-) :-)

AMEN!!!