As I sat in a cafe reading in the New York Times that Arizona Senator, John McCain, is suffering from aggressive brain cancer, I began to cry.
A teenage boy seated near me asked what was wrong.
My first impulse was to just say, oh it’s nothing, but then thought I’d explain why a man I’ve never met could bring out such emotion in me.
“I’m crying for a hero,” I said, “a man who’s earned all our tears for his incredible bravery during the Vietnam War…
McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years. He was kept in solitary confinement for two of those years after being tortured, beaten and interrogated every two hours. He lost 50 pounds, was in a chest cast, his gray hair turning as white as snow. His wartime injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head.
When the North Vietnamese first agreed to release him, Lieutenant John S. McCain wouldn’t go, refusing to leave his men, fearing for what would happen to them without him.
He finally went home on March 14, 1973.
HE WOULDN’T LEAVE HIS MEN.
I can’t say enough how that moves me.”
The kid listened like I was a storyteller merely passing the time with a good yarn, but then said, “I didn’t know any of that. How come they don’t teach you that in school?”
“Good question,” I said, accepting the napkin he offered to dry my tears.
“Do you think he’s gonna make it?”
“I don’t know, but I sure hope so since, we need our heroes to remind us of who we are, not just as Americans, but as human beings.” 
He nodded, then got on his phone.
SB
I posted a link to this on my Facebook page. This a very informative piece, Susannah.
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He was so brave Skinny. They did terrible things to him yet he prevailed. I’d kneel in his presence.
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That was great that you shared your admiration of a hero with someone in a younger generation.
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Don’t know how moved he really was, but at least he listened.
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I’m sure you made a deep impression on him. You share yourself easily with others — a marvelous trait!
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Thanks Ann. When you travel alone as much as I do, this kind of stuff happens often. Don’t ask me why…sigh
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No questions, only applause.
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Clap clap. Clap clap yay:)
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Eternal Hero indeed! Like you I will be praying for his recovery and am optimistic as I believe he has unfinished business/impact that will have a positive impact on our divided politics.
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I’m glad someone agrees with me…you and Skinny, otherwise this piece bombed. Go figure.
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Much as I disapprove of western military intervention in South East Asia, I can’t help but be impressed with that kind of bravery. I know I couldn’t offer the same.
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I can’t imagine after being tortured that way, not leaving when you could go home. It doesn’t matter what anyone’s beliefs are, you have to be moved by it.
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His heroism continues as he cast the deciding NO vote last night on the Healthcare “Bill” … Thank you, sir, for igniting your integrity!
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My piece on him was strictly about his valor under circumstances I know I’d never survive. No one read it. Makes me sad the masses if you will, missed the point.
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That’s a shame. I totally get it. I wouldn’t last a minute, and I am in awe of that level of strength.
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That makes two of us pal.
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I ALWAYS enjoy what I read in your posts, whether I agree or not. There have been some things said recently that made me not care for McCain. I was not sure I ever liked him. After reading your post, i am not sure whether I have totally changed my mind or not, but it doesn’t matter. What does is that he truly is a hero, regardless of what I think of his current stand(s) on politics.
We should honor the man as someone who was willing to put others ahead of himself. That is, normally great; during war it is a hero.
Scott
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That was all my post was about, his heroism during Vietnam nothing more. I would have never been able to endure what he went through while worrying about others.
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