Everybody might have bad days and difficult times in their lives. It should go without saying that when we do, we merit the affection and encouragement of others in our immediate vicinity to assist in getting back on our feet.
This is especially true for the courageous people who serve their nation without expecting anything in return.
Sadly, far too many veterans still face hardships after serving their time. Some soldiers are unclear of what to do once they arrive on Civvy Street, and benefits are frequently insufficient for them to survive unless they have served for a specific period of time.
Larry Robeson is all too familiar with that. According to accounts, Larry was a Vietnam veteran who was struggling to pay for necessities and was at a loss for what to do.
But as luck would have it, he was going to pay for people’s goods in a Las Vegas grocery shop when he ran into a Fox 5 Surprise Squad.
Even though Larry was having financial difficulties, he had gone shopping with his friend Stephanie, a fellow soldier who is disabled. Although Stephanie acknowledged that she was running low on money and wasn’t sure what she would do after that, she told the reporter for Fox 5 that she was purchasing food for her dogs and herself.
Stephanie was ecstatic to hear from Dave Hall, the Surprise Squad reporter, who was pleased to inform her that he and his colleagues had taken care of her groceries.
It was then that Dave noticed Larry, silently standing behind Stephanie. It turns out that many years ago, Stephanie’s husband’s buddy Larry had founded the Bones for Blankets group. The club’s goal? to provide blankets to veterans who have served their nation but are now homeless.
Tragically, three more veterans perished from freezing to death before Larry founded the group. His goal was to ensure that no other veterans experienced the same fate.
He described how Stephanie’s spouse was a truck driver who traveled frequently, so he kept Stephane company and assisted her in overcoming the difficulties she encountered as a result of her impairment.
Larry informed the Surprise Squad that “no vet should be going through what she’s going through.”
Perhaps that was it, but Dave Hall was determined that Larry would not be leaving the store without the Surprise Squad members paying for his goods as well.
Larry said to Dave, “You served us,” even though all he had planned to buy was candies and dish detergent. Now it’s our turn to assist you.
Larry was therefore free to browse the store and choose anything he desired. After Dave and the others settled the tab, Larry was left wiping tears from his eyes and his total coming to $278.
Larry remarked, “I’ve been taking care of myself since I was 13, so this is just like overwhelming.”
See below for Larry’s encounter with the Surprise Squad:
