As the last vanguards of the Greatest Generation pass, 7 things to know when caring for a parent
Fox News' Martha MacCallum has the latest on her new Fox Nation documentary on 'The Story.'
My father-in-law passed away last month, days away from his 99th birthday. He lived with us for 13 years. He was a great man, a World War II veteran who loved his wife and raised three children.
As his vascular dementia worsened – unlike Alzheimer’s, his long-term memory remained intact almost until the end – my wife would set him up with a familiar film. "The Godfather" played most frequently, followed by "Patton."
His parents were born in Sicily, and he spoke nothing but Sicilian Italian until he went to public school in New York. The actors in "The Godfather" were taught how to speak in the dialect. I asked him after one such scene if he could understand them.
homecare is less costly than sending a parent to a facility – and you’ll always provide better care to a loved one than will a stranger. (iStock)
"Every word," he replied with a smile.
REMEMBERING AMERICA'S GREATEST GENERATION
And as a U.S. Navy Seabee, my father-in-law landed at Normandy a week after the invasion. He remembers his first nights ashore: "They were pounding those Germans in Cherbourg" he said, distantly imagining the war.
"Did you land on the beach, or did you use the Mulberry port?" I asked.
"The beach."
"How soon was it that you had your first hot meal?"
"Oh, right away."
"The first day?"
"Yes," he said with certainty.
I marvel at the wonders of World War II logistics.
D-DAY: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORIC WORLD WAR II BATTLE
Two weeks after he landed, the German defenders of Cherbourg surrendered, and he went in with his Seabee unit and repaired the extensive damage to the port so the Allies could ship in the vital tonnage........
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