This is Ernie Andrus. He's 91 years old and a World War II veteran, and he likes to run marathons.
Ernie here, who by the way is adorable (perhaps the strangest thing I've ever said about an elderly man but seriously--this chap is every bit of the word), walked into the Design Shop today to order some shirts for a marathon he's running. At first I was like, "Cool beans." And then he said he was a WWII veteran and then I was like, "COOL BEANS."
Recently since after watching the incredible true story on big screen, Unbroken (I recommend all humans to see that movie), I've been ensnared by the stories of WWII survivors and soldiers. After seeing the movie, I immediately prayed to meet a veteran in person and to talk to him about his experiences. I've no idea why it was so suddenly important to me, but all I knew at that time was that the chance was slim because these chaps have lived a long life and are waiting for Jesus to pick 'em up for coffee one day. So my time was running thin.
Little did I know that on this day, a WWII veteran would walk right into my workplace. I didn't have to go anywhere! Silly as it may sound, I think God knew I would be overwhelmingly blessed to meet Ernie, so He made it happen. What an incredibly loving God, down to the very last detail of our lives!
Anyway, as I listened to Ernie from afar (for the first time in my life, I was shy), he said he's running a marathon from California all the way to Florida. People. This man is 91. I can't even run two miles at the gym without falling off the elliptical.
1,051 USS LST's were built during WWII. The LST 325 (seen above) is the only one left that has been restored and is still operational.
And somehow, somehow, his trail lead straight through our tiny little town in west Texas where he just happened to want shirts for his marathon where I just happened to work.
After sheepishly watching him talk, I courageously (and very childishly) asked if I could take a picture with him. I blushed feeling so embarrassed to ask like he was a celebrity. But he was so kind in response and happily took the picture with me (as seen at the very top). What more, without me even having to ask, he told me what he did in the war and gave me a piece of paper that explained the intention of his marathon.
Ernie was part of a medic team in WWII and sailed on a boat called the USS LST, just like the LST 325 shown above. Who knows what sights he saw as a medic, but his job was sailing across the ocean to Saipan to pick up the wounded soldiers and aid them. He told me about how the Japanese would kill themselves for the sake of honor, and that it was perhaps the worst area where it most often occurred.
Of course I didn't have enough time to sit down and hear his stories for days and days (because I really would have listened to him speak until the cows would come home), but I will never forget having met such a kind, strangely athletic and elderly adorable man like Ernie Andrus!
And it would be cruel of me not to urge you, my fellow readers, to check out his website for his marathon at Coast2CoastRuns.com! This man is only trying to follow his dreams even at the age of 91 (which screams at the rest of us to pursue without waiting or giving up especially due to age), and if you could donate to help him reach his goal, then I'm sure he'd have a mighty swell time telling Jesus all about his success over a fine cup of coffee.
God knows he's sure lived a fine life, and a finer one yet to come!
Thank you, Ernie!
