Red Cross organizes drive-by parade for WW II veteran
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CAPE CORAL, FL (WBBH) — Arnett Terrill was just 18 years old when he joined the Navy. He served in the South Pacific on a submarine during WWII.
“I’d never left my mama before,” Terrill said.
Decades later, his family describes the now 95-year-old as a man always on the go before the pandemic.
“He’s a lot of fun,” said Terrill’s daughter Darlene Kennedy. “Everybody knew him.”
“He was very, very active,” said his oldest daughter Kathleen Young. “He wanted to get out each and everyday and go.”
Both Kennedy and Young said their father has been struggling in recent months with the isolation that’s come from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He always said getting out and staying active was what keep him going and let him alive,” Young said.
“It’s been really hard on him,” said Kennedy. “I think he’s been kind of depressed.”
To help combat that depression, another one of Terrill’s daughters reached out to the Red Cross’ Virtual Veteran’s Visitation program.
The program has volunteers call to talk to veterans, and also connect them to any resources they may need.
“She was actually looking for maybe a veteran or somebody to just kind of come and it and talk with her dad,” Red Cross volunteer Tony Nazzaro said.
Instead, after that phone call, Nazarro decided to organize something much bigger: A drive-by parade to surprise Terrill and bring the community to him.
More than 50 cars rolled down Terrill’s street in Cape Coral Sunday afternoon, with dozens of people honking horns and waving signs to honor his service and sacrifice.
“I’m all choked up,” said Terrill after the parade. “It’s wonderful people really care.”
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