The Nashville International Airport came to a complete stop on Saturday, Dec. 8, as strangers came together to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” to a plane full of children of fallen military heroes.
The children were being flown to Disneyland on an all-expenses-paid trip by the Gary Sinise Foundation’s “Snowball Express” program.
The Gary Sinise Foundation serves the nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need, while the Snowball Express serves the children of fallen military heroes.
American Airlines partnered with Snowball Express to fly the children to Disneyland.
When an airline attendant announced their presence over a loudspeaker, and all the children lined up to board their flight, the entire airport stopped to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” to them.
Soldiers stood, saluting the children.
Jen Tringale captured the touching moment on video and shared it on her Facebook page.
I witnessed an international airport come to a complete stop today … At the Nashville airport I walked out into the concourse to this scene @americanairlines was flying a plane full of children who had lost a parent in combat to Disneyworld on an all expenses paid trip and they threw a party for them at the gate❤️But when they announced them over the loud speaker and they lined up to board the plane the whole airport literally stopped and sang the national anthem with military present in salute. Most every person standing around, myself included was bawling at the sight of these kids and spouses who have paid so great a price for our country. To see all of this at Christmas time was so humbling. Seeing the general public in an airport stand still to honor these kids was simply beauitful. @bna_airport #nashville #fallenwarriors Gary Sinise Foundation #america #snowballexpress #christmas Garysinise
تم النشر بواسطة Jen Tringale في السبت، ٨ ديسمبر ٢٠١٨
“I witnessed an international airport come to a complete stop today,” she wrote alongside the video.
The clip quickly went viral, amassing over 1.8 million views since. It has also been shared 27,336 times thus far.
“Most every person standing around, myself included, was bawling at the sight of these kids and spouses who have paid so great a price for our country,” she wrote. “To see all of this at Christmas time was so humbling. Seeing the general public in an airport stand still to honor these kids was simply beautiful.”
The holidays can be especially tough for grieving families.
The Gary Sinise Foundation understands this, and each December it hosts a five-day experience for 1,722 children of the fallen and their surviving parent or guardian.
Being able to talk to others that share similar experiences allows the parents to bond and the children to make new friends.
The five-day retreat will provide the children and their parent or guardian entertainment, inspiring programs, as well as encouraging critical peer-to-peer support for these families.
If you’re wondering why Disneyland, Snowball Express began back in 2006 with a letter written by a fallen soldier to his wife, only to be opened should he perish in battle.
One of the things expressed in the letter was a wish that his family visit Disneyland. From that letter, Snowball Express was created, bringing the children and surviving spouses of fallen U.S. military heroes for a healing retreat.
