EPIC: 104yo World War II Vet Plays Anthem At NHL Game… And It’s AWESOME!
Yours truly has always loved hockey, and this is just one more reason that others should, too
There are shining moments of unity that stand out in sport. This is one of them. Especially after years of getting lectured by athletes who use our entertainment to dunk on everything work-a-day folks love and cherish.
America is now rounding the corner on her way to celebrate 250 years from the signing of the Declaration of Independence. One man born well before the 150th anniversary leads a stadium filled with fans in a moment of cherishing everything that flag still stands for. The rest of us would do well to take note.
As a WWII vet, he’s got a better sense than most of what exactly it means to honor that flag, and the price that was paid by so many; 104-year-old World War II Army veteran Staff Sgt Dominick Critelli performs the national anthem before a Rangers vs. Islanders game
The Floral Park super-senior saxophonist and World War II Army veteran will be performing the national anthem for the Islanders vs. Rangers game at UBS Arena on Saturday, marking yet another lifetime achievement.
“I love this country,” Critelli, who immigrated from a humble upbringing in Calabria as a little boy, told The Post. “If I hadn’t come to this country, I’d be stuck with Mussolini.” — NYPost
He had a music degree before joining the fight in WWII, fought in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, has recently been knighted by Macron for his service in helping liberate France, and he played his sax while sitting on top of a tank as the Allies officially liberated the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.
We appreciate two things about him. He came to America with an attitude of appreciation and gratitude for opportunities he would not have had in his native Italy, an appreciation and gratitude that revealed itself both in his military service, but in his acts of patriotism long after others would have put themselves out to pasture. (He recognizes Mussolini as an authoritarian, as apposed to an endless series of duly-elected American politicians that find themselves opposed by establishment Presstitutes.)
And the second thing is related to that last part… he is not acting under any impression that old age — even when more than 100 years old! — means you have to stop dreaming big and participating in life.
If you (or someone you know) could use a bible-based kick in the pants as a reminder not to give up on your dreams just because your hair has gone silver? Our own Doug Giles has just the kick you’re looking for.
Doug’s latest book is’Biblical Badasses: The Old Men‘
When God gets geared up to bring about a reformation, he green-lights the dream machine in us old farts. Yep, the prophet Joel says that when God‘s afoot flipping a nation from filth to faith, he doesn’t just use the young ‘uns, but he gives fresh dreams to the old dudes. Indeed, it is not just young peeps. It’s young and old. It’s a holy mashup of the green behind the ears and grey within the ears. That’s right, old man … God’s not finished with you yet. The ten men spotlighted in this spicy tome were probably way older than you when God lit their world of fire with fresh vision and purpose. If you’re hungry for more of God, then you should expect the Lord to do the same with you.
This is a great book for the rowdy 60+ Christian. It’ll shoot adrenaline into your soul. It hit #1 on Amazon in less than twenty-four hours. Get your seniors reading this in their group bible study. The devil will not be happy…