Sometimes in life you never know how far your reach is or what it will become or maybe how one person out there in America can touch so many people, just at the right time.

For a long time we have kind of kept a conversation secret between one of our customers and us. Not sure really how to share it. To be completely honest, this was selfish. We should have shared this sooner, America deserves to hear it and the world deserves to hear this to understand that we are a country of good people. With all that is going on in America we need good stories, good people like this.

Just before Thanksgiving we received the most touching and sincere message we have ever received from a true American hero who just likes to share dinners and stories with good people along his travels.

Whatever you do, make sure you read all three parts to the story… 

 

Adventures of an American Hero and His American Flag (Part 1)

— Original message —
Amazon: Have You Received Your American Flag?
From: Tom Sauerbrun
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 5:21 PM
To: Grace Alley

Jacklyn,
Thank you for the follow-up on my flag purchase; I really appreciate your outstanding customer service.

In your note you inquired if I had received and am enjoying the Grace Alley flag. My response – there is a low probability I will ever see it flying. There is the story behind this comment that goes like this.

I am a veteran having completed four combat tours of duty in Viet Nam. Like many other veterans of that era we don’t talk about our experiences much, and that’s OK. As a small business owner I have the opportunity to travel the pacific northwest providing consulting services to clients. During a recent assignment I had the opportunity to meet and get to know a young man (31 years old). He knew of my service background in the Navy and we shared many thoughts and our combat experiences as a common bond. Over dinner he shared his experiences during a 15 month tour in Afghanistan, completing over 150 missions (let’s just say this young man has been to hell and back). He inquired if I was a man of faith, my response was “yes sir”. Then he asked me a question that I wasn’t expecting, it was “Can God forgive me for what I did in Afghanistan?” I sent up a flare prayer asking the Lord for just the right words for this young man at this moment. My prayer was answered in a mighty way. We continued dinner and talked for right at two hours; it was a precious time of sharing between an old warrior and a young one about forgiveness, freedom, liberty, leadership, et al.

When I dropped him off at the hotel we agreed to keep in touch on a regular basis. About a week later I received an e-mail that included a photograph of his family (beautiful bride and three energetic young sons) standing on the porch of their new home. After looking at the photo for another moment I noticed something was missing from the front of their home – they don’t have an American flag proudly displayed!!!

I’m not sure whether I really like this kid or if a matter of duty but tomorrow my wife and I are sending your flag and the appropriate mounting hardware to their home in central Washington with a note saying “A Housewarming Gift for an American Hero and his family”.

Thanks for reading my story. Please pass on to everyone at Grace Alley our appreciation for providing a quality product that is made with pride in the USA. It means a lot to those of us who think the USA is the greatest nation on earth and our freedom and liberty didn’t come from a big box store.

God bless y’all,
Tom and Faye Sauerbrun
Idaho Falls, ID

Our response tho this amazing story…
(I’m sure you would do the same thing…)

From: Grace Alley - Amazon Marketplace
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2014 4:37 PM
To: Tom Sauerbrun
Subject: Amazon: Have You Received Your American Flag?

————- Begin message ————-

Hello Tom,
Thank you for sharing your amazing story, that was truly amazing!

Please except this “Housewarming Gift for an American Hero and Your Family” from Grace Alley. We just sent you a replacement flag.

Nothing would give us more pride than knowing an American and an American Hero like you is flying a Grace Alley American Flag…

Chaz and Jacklyn,
Grace Alley – An American Tradition

PS: Hope you and your family have great Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas…

PPS: We decided to send you two extra American Flags, just in case you happen to run into another American Hero or two…