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"Buffalo
Bob" |
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The photos below yanked at the heart-strings of millions
of Americans in August 2011, as images of a grieving labrador retriever
graced the pages of newspapers across the country. At the funeral of
Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, attendees could see his faithful companion
Hawkeye lying by the casket. In front of 1,500 mourners at the beginning
of the service, Hawkeye ambled up to the front of the room and laid down
next to his master — showing his loyalty until the end.
Nikki
Virgilio, a friend of Mr Tumilson - known as J.T. - was at the funeral
last week and said Hawkeye was a personal pet rather than a military
dog. 'I can happily report to you that Hawkeye was willed to one of
J.T.'s good friends, the same one that took care of him whenever J.T.
was deployed overseas,' she wrote on Facebook. 'J.T. was going to be a
Navy SEAL come hell or high water,' Mr Nichols said. 'J.T. was not
afraid to die. He was afraid of losing his parents.'
Concerned
members of the public who have seen the heart-wrenching photos will be
pleased to hear that there is a happy ending for Hawkeye. He will be
staying with Scott Nichols, who had previously looked after him while
J.T. was away on duty overseas. Family members had followed Hawkeye into
the funeral. A
Heartwarming Story of Friendship The
Jesse Owens Story
The
1936 Olympics was held in Hitler
saw the Games as an opportunity to promote his government and ideals of
racial supremacy to the world. The official Nazi party newspaper wrote
in the strongest terms that Jews and Black people should not be allowed
to participate in the Games. However, when threatened with a boycott of
the Games by other nations, Hitler relented and allowed Black people and
Jews to participate. After
much deliberation and debate whether or not to boycott the Olympics, the
One
of the American athletes was a Track and Field star named Jesse Owens
and he was black. Jesse Owens seemed sure to win the long jump at the
1936 games. The year before he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches -- a
record that would stand for 25 years. As
he walked to the long-jump pit, however, Owens saw a tall, blue eyed,
blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens felt
nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis' desire to prove "Aryan
superiority," especially over blacks. At this point, the tall
German introduced himself as Luz Long. "You should be able to
qualify with your eyes closed!" he said to Owens, referring to his
two jumps. For the next few moments the black son of a sharecropper and
the white model of Nazi manhood chatted. Then Long made a suggestion.
Since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, why not
make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there,
just to play it safe? Owens did and qualified easily. In the finals
Owens set an Olympic record and earned the second of four gold medals. The
first person to congratulate him was Luz Long -- in full view of Adolf
Hitler. Hitler was furious and embarrassed. Owens never again saw Long,
who was sent out to the front lines and was killed in World War II.
"You could melt down all the medals and cups I have," Owens
later wrote, "and they wouldn't be a platting on the 24-carat
friendship I felt for Luz Long."
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