Normally when it’s game time, nothing can divert an athlete’s attention from the competition. But, when a Louisiana high school football player saw WWII veterans sitting on the sidelines, he ran over to acknowledge their presence.
During halftime, Chase Hill was photographed shaking the hands of the six male veterans from the U.S. Army, Air Force, or Navy, as well as one female vet from the Women in the Air Force. (The viral moment is reminiscent of the 10-year-old who saluted veterans buried at the United States National Cemetery in a powerful way.)
"I've just been told all my life to respect those who serve," Hill said on Fox and Friends, adding that it was “just spur of the moment.”
His admiration for veterans stems from his own military family: His father had recently retired from the Air Force and his grandfather was in the Navy.
“I just wanted to show some gratitude and maybe some kids in the future will follow my footsteps,” he said. “Because you don’t see it every day that kids respect anything.”
See the touching photos below…
Louisiana high school football star Chase Hill is going viral for separating from his team at halftime to go shake the hands of seven WWII veterans sitting on the sidelines. They were being honored that day.
Lieutenant Bill Davis of the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office took the photos and shared one of them on the department's Facebook page. The photo received more than 8,000 likes and 2,000 shares.
"CLASS ACT BY THIS YOUNG MAN!" the photo's caption reads.
The veterans, along with the rest of the country, were touched by Hill's actions.
“It blew my mind for a minute, but it was an honor, something that you don’t see every day,” veteran Ethan A. Gillispie told Fox and Friends.
Veteran Olan T. Wise added, “I loved it. I honored him and I told him, ‘I love you, buddy, and God bless you!’ ”
But Hill was just doing what he'd been taught:
"I've just been told all my life to respect those who serve," he said while sitting next to Lt. Bill Davis on the news show.
It's always great to see people doing good deeds, especially when they are younger. Please SHARE to encourage other to follow in this football star's footsteps!
