- DeWitt High School hosted a special event to honor local veterans.
- Vietnam War veteran Bob Zelski shared his personal story and the impact of never receiving a proper "welcome home" after his service.
- Watch the full video above to see more from the event and hear from Veteran Bob Zelski.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
An opportunity to say thank you… I'm your DeWitt Neighborhood Reporter, Russell Shellberg, at DeWitt High School, showing you how students and staff are honoring our veterans.
The day started with the singing of the National Anthem... It's a reminder of what this room of veterans fought for. Neighbors like Bob Zelski shared his story.
"I was over there for 13 months... loading weapons on a B-57," said Zelski.
As Bob shared stories of his time in the military, he revealed one detail he's still coming to terms with.
"We heard, while we were over there... rumors that we weren't welcome... home," said Zelski.
Bob told me that events like this at the school gave him—and still give him—hope for veterans.
"We never got that parade or welcome home... and this is our welcome home," said Zelski.
DeWitt Superintendent Kevin Robydek told me neighbors like Bob are why the event returns every year.
"We want to make sure that we replace that bad memory with this memory—that 'you're a part of our community, you're a veteran, you're the ones who provided us the freedoms we have today and continue to have. And we're not only going to welcome you, we're going to honor you and continue to make sure that you're a part of us,'" said Rybodek
As students served the veterans breakfast, the choir continued to sing, taps was played, and veterans were honored throughout the morning. Thanking every veteran for the freedoms we enjoy today. A thank you was also given to DeWitt.
"I can't say enough about what DeWitt does here... providing this service, it means so much to us, it really does," said Zelski.
TO HEAR MORE OF BOB'S STORY, WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
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