I just wanted to take a minute to talk about Memorial Day and what it means to me.
Like every kid, I always used to sit in school and count the days until summer. Memorial Day marks the homestretch. It's a weekend where we, as Americans, get together with our friends, neighbors and families and celebrate the (hopefully) beautiful weather. Over the past two years, I've really started to appreciate what today is supposed to be about. My grandfather was an Air Force pilot during World War II and was shot down and taken captive as a prisoner of war. When he died in 2009, I had never talked to him about his service years and what he had gone through. I had only heard of a few stories through my aunts after his burial in Arlington National Cemetery. I can only imagine what kinds of horrors he witnessed and had to go through back in the 1940s, not knowing whether or not he would ever make it home. I admire his bravery and the fact that he got to come back home. If not, I wouldn't be here typing right now!
Today is meant to pay tribute to those who put their lives on the line in order to keep our country safe. Take a moment and give thanks and praise to the young men and women who help ensure that we can live our lives the way we do each and every day. Sure, we see heroics during Yankee games. But the members of our armed forces are the true heroes.
To those that have lost their lives fighting to protect our country, thank you and you will not be forgotten. To those that continue to fight for us, thank you as well and come home safely.
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend, alley dwellers! Game thread will be up for the 4:00pm game against Oakland.