Letter: Wounded veterans rely on families
British World War II veterans David Ovenstone, right, and Leslie Potter hold hands during an Armistice Day ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. The Menin Gate Memorial bears the names of more than 54,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are not known. Ovenstone's father served in WWI with the Royal Army and was gassed and wounded on the Somme in 1915. Potter's grandfather was killed in Nov. 1915 and his name is engraved on the Menin Gate. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Credit: AP
While Veterans Day is still fresh in our hearts and minds, I would like to bring something into focus. Some suffer wounds, amputations, limbs blown from their bodies, lost sight and hearing, and psychological horrors. Our veterans bring these atrocities home to their families, and life needs to continue.
My aunt Catherine married uncle Ralph, a veteran, in spite of the fact that he had lost both legs and an arm in a World War II explosion. He had wooden legs and a shiny steel hook for an arm. My aunt had the courage to subscribe to a life of difficulty and sacrifice.
We should never forget any of our veterans -- nor forget the families that have cared for wounded veterans. These are unsung heroes.
Frank Macchio, Bayside
