From @theveteransproject Paul Merriman, a WW2 veteran, U.S. Marine and Iwo Jima survivor, passed away on June 2 at 3:00 am. He was one of the veterans whose story is being told on Aug 19 through @theunitedfoundationorg @theveteransproject He was surrounded by his closest family members as he peacefully left our presence. He was in incredible shape up until the week he passed. Our hearts are heavy and light at the same time. Heavy, because we know we lost an absolute warrior that embodied the USMC credo of "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful). Our hearts are light because we're grateful that his incredible story of sacrifice and heroism in the face of almost certain death will continually be known. We look forward to celebrating his life on August 19th. Until then, we realize the great challenge of capturing these men as they continually fade away at a startling rate. Paul's death was a harsh reminder of that truth. We love and miss you every day, Mr. Merriman. Semper Fi, Marine.
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"After 53 years of marriage, I began to notice that my wife was forgetting --and after some tests, I found out it was Alzheimer's, so I moved us to The Forum. They had a "Memory Care" section when the time came so we knew there would be support when she lost her memory. She declined over 5 years and just as the worse began, she fell, broke a hip, and died within a month. It was a blessing for all of us. She had forgotten me and the kids. In many ways, those years were harder than anything I experienced on Iwo Jima."—PFC Paul Merriman (USMC, WWII Veteran). .
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The event on August 19th isn't just about our time in the WWII theatre of combat. It's about the individuals who prevailed through that time and went on with those memories forever in tow. Men like Paul Merriman, who after 26 days of hellacious trench to trench warfare on Iwo Jima, went on to be successful business owners, loving husbands, fathers, and grandfathers. We at @theunitedfoundationorg need you to do your part and contribute so that we can bring you their stories. #unitedfoundation #ww2 #marines #neverforget #usmc