At 99 years old, Harry Humason probably never expected to be celebrated as a hero again. But that’s exactly what happened when a town in the Czech Republic invited him to their 80th anniversary of liberation – a freedom Harry helped secure as a young soldier in World War II.
His daughter started a GoFundMe to cover the cost of the trip, but it fell short. She considered taking out a loan, but then a Czech news outlet picked up the story, and donations from grateful Czech citizens flooded in, fully funding Harry’s journey.
When he arrived, they gave him a hero’s welcome – the kind of honors usually reserved for heads of state – reminding him that his bravery all those years ago still matters today.
I can only imagine what it must have felt like for Harry to see the lasting impact of his sacrifice, to hear people say, “It’s because of what you did that we have the freedom we do.”
Read more about this touching tribute here.