A middle school choir in Kansas sang an impromptu National Anthem to honor a Navy veteran who was eating with his wife.
On their way to sing at a local senior citizen's home in Olathe, a group of 30 students made a pit stop at a local pizza shop with their teacher, Teresa Murray Posey.
But while inside, Murray Posey noticed Navy veteran, Roy Fred Blackburn – she knew because he was proudly wearing his veteran’s hat.
Blackburn – who served in the U.S. Navy for six years – was in hospice at the time, but for Veterans Day he wanted to indulge in some pizza.
Thinking he might be uplifted by an impromptu National Anthem from the choir, Murray Posey turned to her students and said, "let's sing to him."
Without hesitation, the students agreed.
"He was on oxygen, and he stood up and took his hat off and his wife stood up,"' Murray Posey said.
The entire restaurant stopped what they were doing and stood up alongside the veteran, she said.
"They were crying. They were all in tears. The restaurant was in tears," Murray Posey said.
Afterward, the kids lined up to give Blackburn a hug.
In February 2020, just three months after their simple act of kindness, Blackburn passed away at 82 years old.
However, the kids left such an impact on him, they were asked to sing at his funeral.
For a second time, the children of Mission Trail Middle School were able to pay a tribute to the veteran who spent years giving back to his community.
"They don't realize the impact that they can have on people, and I try to tell them all the time, music can impact people, you as a kid can impact people," Murray Posey said. (🎥 via: Teresa Murray Posey). #nationalanthem #veteran #feelgood
