As a military veteran, I sat back with pride watching this special moment between Brantley Gilbert and Justin Patterson, a war veteran.
Justin Patterson, a former sniper who says he’s barely left the house in two years due to symptoms from PTSD, joined Country Music artist Gilbert on his motorcycle ride for the Wounded Warrior Project “Rolling Odyssey.” Gilbert supports the foundation that helps veterans with PTSD and readjustment issues.
“I don’t know how to put this into words … I’m not really an emotional guy. I really have not been out of the house for over two years with my PTSD, except for the occasional trip to the grocery store,” he explained to the country singer.
“I don’t know any other way to thank you. I can’t give you a Grammy or a country music award…I could thank you a million times, but for me, I have a gift for you.”
And then something truly amazing happened.
“I’d like to give you my first purple heart,” he said before breaking down.
The two then embraced each other, showing their appreciation for one another.
“This thing means the world to me,” Gilbert says after receiving the unimaginable gift, adding that he just made a lifelong friend. Patterson says the same — the two now talk or text nearly every day.
It’s amazing what music can do!
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H/T: YouTube
