On November 9, two guest speakers came to talk to the de Toledo community about the veterans of our country and how hard these men and women work in order to protect us. These speeches were moving, touching, and inspirational.  

The first guest’s father served in the military during Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, Japanese aircrafts attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This eventually led the Unites States of America to declare war on Japan.

The father of the speaker was on the USS Arizona. However, after being in the military for many years, the father realized that he wanted to go home and be with his family. A month after returning home, the Arizona boat exploded and countless soldiers passed away. The war and the military experience left a deep scar on the father. The speaker said that his father never talked about his experience, so he had to find out all the information in other ways like journals and logs that his father left behind.  

The second speaker, Chris Rossener,  is a veteran himself. He did a tour in Iraq. He talked about the lessons he learned while fighting for his country. His drill sergeant would yell at him and the other soldiers that “you have to love the fight.” The sergeant also told them that each day they  must eat a “m***** f***ing ice cream cone.” In other words, they must enjoy life no matter what struggles that day brings. With this in mind, the soldiers kept fighting and persevering no matter how hard it got.

He then went on to tell the story of his two friends from the army who kept up the good fight: Meyers, a small, average height guy, and Brone, a broad, strong, and muscular man who always protected Meyers. They were driving in a van, when suddenly a bomb went off right next to them. Brone became unconscious and lost his arm.

The speaker paused for a second, restricted by the tears flowing down his face, his voice caught in his throat. He then tried to recover by saying “real men cry.” After trying to proceed, he still could not get through this emotional story. The room was silent as the community teared up.

Amidst the silence Sydney Greenspun (’20) walked up to the speaker and hugged him. While hugging, the speaker relinquished the tears he was trying so hard to keep in.

After Sydney returned to her seat, he continued with his story.

While his face was bloody and he kept being shot from all directions, Meyers kept driving in order to get his friend to safety. His heroic act saved both him and his friend, Brone.

This one story is a glimpse into what these men and women sacrifice for us: an arm, a leg, their mind, and even themselves. They completely give everything they have to protect this wonderful country and its citizens.

Rossener concluded his speech by saying that this Veterans Day we should all eat an ice cream cone. Each day, even when times get tough, we must all remember to stay optimistic, to stay happy, and to “love the fight.”