Oak Island Veteran Donald McCarty honored by South Brunswick HS JROTC Nov 11, 2013.

Sequence of events:

Nov. 6, 2013: Request received from step daughter Rochelle Araujo by Capt. Stewart, USN (Ret), President SENCLAND Chapter of MOAA.

“I am writing to you on behalf of my stepfather, who is 88 years old, an Army WWII Veteran. He just received a diagnosis of terminal liver cancer and probably has a few months to live. So this will be his final Veteran's Day. He does not have the energy to go to a parade (and even if he did I'm not sure where there would be one). He lives on Oak Island (and I am in Durham). So - I was wondering if there is any way to arrange for a color guard to go by his house on Veteran's Day and salute him. It would mean so much to him.”

Numerous Veteran Organizations worked a team effort to make the request a reality. On Nov. 7, 2013, the following was sent to Rochelle Araujo:

“Yes - we are more than willing to do this.”

Thomas G. Blue, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (Ret)

Senior Army Instructor, South Brunswick High School

On Veteran’s Day Nov. 11, 201this was the ceremony to honor Donald McCarty.

Scroll Down for pictures and the rest of the story.

The following day, Rochelle wrote a note of thanks.

“It was amazing - my mom, stepdad, myself - all so moved and grateful. I have some wonderful pictures that I will download from my camera at lunchtime and send to you and Col Blue. Don, my stepdad, was very week yesterday and had wanted to go back to bed - but Mom convinced him to stay up for the surprise. It was the first smile I've seen from him since his diagnosis. The kids from the JROTC were so kind and so serious about their charge (one of their moms came by the house later in the day with prints of photos she had taken). So hard to believe that Don was only their age (18) when he was at Guadalcanal.

Again - I cannot thank you enough for setting this up.”

Best regards,

Rochelle

On Nov. 25, 2013 the following message was received.

Dear Col Blue and all involved in Veteran's Day-

“Donald McCarty, my stepdad and the veteran you all honored on Veteran's Day, passed away peacefully yesterday morning, surrounded by all who loved him. A few days before he died, he related to others that the ceremony you all performed for him was one of the top 5 memories of his life.

Thank you so much for that gift to him.”

--Rochelle

To Rochelle and family of Donald McCarty,

Thanks for sharing this with us. We will never forget what you and so many others did to honor your special Veteran.

Very Respectfully,

SENCLAND MOAA