After retiring in Florida, Ken Deka started a tradition that will put a smile on any patriot's face.
As the sun goes down each day, he goes to the Indian Rocks Beach in Pinellas County, holds up his bugle, and honors the troops by playing "Taps," as we see in the ABC Action News clip below. For every performance, he also puts several small flags by his feet.
"Because in the military, you hear 'Taps' every day. And I just love it. You get some nice, quiet peaceful time. It gives you a moment to stop and think," said Deka, who is a veteran. (His late brother was also a veteran.)
Deka's daily routine is even making him a local star (much like the man who carries on the same tradition in Washington). Many fans go to the beach just to hear him play the song, which is played at military funerals in the United States. These beachgoers stop what they are doing to listen for those beautiful 58 seconds.
"I kind of like to think that it's something that they've never, something they won't believe, and something they'll never forget," Deka told the news station. (And I'm pretty sure he's right!)
Please SHARE if you hope he never stops this tradition!