Greetings cards from across Canada and as far as Australia have been filling the mailbox of Donovan Nixon, a decorated Second World War veteran in Langford, wishing him a happy birthday and thanking him for his service. But the puzzled 102-year-old Langford resident has no idea who the global well-wishers are.
Unknown to the former bomber pilot, a close friend had posted an appeal on social media asking for people to bombard Nixon with cards for his birthday on Sept. 17 and for Remembrance Day.
B次元官网网址淟ast Remembrance Day was not a good one for him, so this one I want to blow out of the sky,B次元官网网址� said Marlene Graham in her post. B次元官网网址淛ust so he [knows] that what he did to help us will not be forgotten.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not very often we have the chance to say thank you to a Second World War serviceman. One lady said it nicely, B次元官网网址楲est we forget, letB次元官网网址檚 not forget Don,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she adds.
After reaching out for help to celebrate Nixon, Graham says she was unsure if anyone would take notice of her plea. She neednB次元官网网址檛 have worried, as people responded in their droves.
B次元官网网址淢ay your day be full of warm and happy memories B次元官网网址� thank you for your service and helping build our country,B次元官网网址� said Roy and Beverly Schuetz from Prince Albert, Sask., in their message to Nixon, a sentiment echoed in the piles of cards in the war heroB次元官网网址檚 home in the retirement community, Cherish at Central Park.
B次元官网网址淢ichael, one of my sons went down to pick up the mail B次元官网网址� and there's mail from [as far as] Australia,B次元官网网址� says Nixon about the moment his son returned from his mailbox, arms full of cards, postcards and letters from around the globe. B次元官网网址淢y son said, B次元官网网址楧ad, what are you doing? Look at them all.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 blown away,B次元官网网址� said Graham about the response. B次元官网网址淚 was so scared the cards weren't gonna come B次元官网网址� this is more than I could ever dream.B次元官网网址�
Graham had hoped her part in the wave of cards to Nixon would remain a secret, but unfortunately her cover had already been blown by someone who had seen her post on Facebook.
B次元官网网址淚've got to answer all these,B次元官网网址� jokes Nixon. B次元官网网址淏ecause of you,B次元官网网址� he adds smiling wryly at Graham. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e going to have to help me sort them all out.B次元官网网址�
The pair became close after Nixon befriended GrahamB次元官网网址檚 aunt, 89-year-old Glenda Graham, who also lives in Cherish. In the time they have known each other, Nixon has regaled Graham and her aunt with stories about his time in the war.
One story he shares often is about returning from a flight during the Second World War; a rattling noise could be heard in one of his bomberB次元官网网址檚 wing fuel tanks. When they took a look inside, they found an unexploded incendiary shell.
B次元官网网址淭here were times when I thought I'll never reach 18 years of age,B次元官网网址� says Nixon. B次元官网网址淚 was very lucky.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪omebody out there said, B次元官网网址楬ey, 102 is okay, but how you got there is another question,B次元官网网址� he jokes.
