Elderly Veteran's Dinner Was Continually Disturbed By 5 Young Men Eventually Bringing Him To Tears

Jul 04, 2023 by apost team

When someone describes a hero, they might include things like a colorful costume and flowing cape. The fact is that one doesn’t have to look like Superman or any of his comic counterparts to see the face of a true hero.

The members of the United States military are heroes by every definition of the word. These brave men and women serve valiantly every day, sacrificing their safety and the joys of a normal life to make sure that our nation can prosper and that we can enjoy the safety that comes with living in a free country.

As such, veterans of the service deserve every honor and respect that we can bestow on them. In this story from 2016, a group of Marines in Illinois got a chance to show their appreciation for a Vietnam War veteran.

Then-74-year-old Lou Zezoff of Granite City, Illinois, was enjoying a dinner with his wife at a local Cracker Barrel when a Marine stopped by their table. Grasping Lou's hand, the Marine thanked the Vietnam veteran for his sacrifice in the war.

While grateful for the Marine’s respect, Lou was a little surprised at the attention. Soon after, three more Marines stopped by his table, all thanking him for his service.

As Lou and his wife finished dinner, he asked the waiter for the check. The veteran knew that something was amiss when the waiter flashed a wide grin and said, “This is your lucky day.” The waiter revealed that the Marines had paid for Lou's dinner that night.

Grateful for the act, Lou went to the Marines’ table. Embracing one of them, he told the group that they didn’t have to pay for his dinner and that the act of kindness from before was more than enough.

“You don’t have to do this. I know, being in the military, you don’t make a lot of money,” Lou told them.

But the Marines were "emphatic," and insisted on paying for Lou's meal to show their gratitude. "They wanted me to know how much they appreciated me," he said.

As the Zezoffs were preparing to leave, the Marines had one final surprise for the veteran. Lining up in front of his table, each Marine shook Lou's hand, embraced him and thanked him for his service.

"They filed to the front of my table, stood in line, and each one of them again — I still tear up when I talk about this — put his hand out, shook my hand, thanked me, hugged me, and walked to my right," the veteran recalled.

Lou was brought to tears by the show of respect, as he later told reporters that the whole restaurant watched in silent awe of the Marines’ actions. "I was a basket case by then," he told reporters.

In an interview with Belleville News, Lou's wife Annette Zezoff said:

“It just speaks volumes for the military. I thought of my son, who is retired Air Force, and the people who thank him for his service. It’s rewarding to see that the military is so strong and so polite.”

The outlet identified the five Marines as Val Diaz, Kevin Morris, Eric A. Morales, Elijah Reynolds and Victor M. Andrade Gomez. Pfc. Diaz, who hails from Texas, told reporters:

"He fought for us. Now it’s our turn."

apost.com

What do you think of the Marines’ show of respect for Lou Zezoff? Have you ever done anything to show your appreciation for veterans in your area? Let us know, and pass this along to your friends and family to see what they think!