Grandfather with Alzheimer’s gives Navy-bound grandson his 1st salute

Grandfather with Alzheimer's gives Navy-bound grandson his 1st salute.
Grandfather with Alzheimer’s gives Navy-bound grandson his 1st salute. Courtesy of Kenneth Allen.

After not dressing uniform for 45 years, a Navy veteran with Alzheimer’s recently had the most special reason to get dressed one last time – to give his Navy-bound grandson his first salute.

Last week, Nicholas Allen stood in the backyard of his grandparents’ South Carolina home and saluted his grandfather, Gail Allen, who was in full uniform for the first time in decades.

Grandfather with Alzheimer's gives Navy-bound grandson his 1st salute.
Grandfather with Alzheimer’s gives Navy-bound grandson his 1st salute. Courtesy of Kenneth Allen.
Three generations of military service. Grandfather, Father, Grandson.
Three generations of military service. Grandfather, Father, Grandson. Courtesy of Kenneth Allen.

The proud moment was captured by Nicholas’s dad, Ret. Lt. Colonel Kenneth Allen, who posted a picture to LinkedIn writing:

“My father suffers from Alzheimer’s. He couldn’t come to my son’s graduation and commissioning, so we went to him. Forty-five years after hanging up his uniform, Radioman First-class Allen gave Ensign Allen his first in-person salute. For those who have dementia there are good days and bad. This was a good day.”


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