If you haven’t heard of the name Lawrence Brooks, let me introduce you to him. Lawrence Brooks is an American hero, patriot, and a man with a deep love of his country. Mr. Brooks is also the oldest living WWII veteran, born on September 12th, 1909; this real-life patriot has lived a life dedicated to serving his country. This past September 12th, Mr. Brooks turned 111 and was celebrated with military flyovers, and he was also sent almost ten thousand birthday cards, according to the National WWII Museum.

Mr. Brooks’ story is one of the many reasons why I love my country. Even when Lawrence Brooks faced unfair treatment for being an African-American in the U.S. during the early 1940s, Brooks refused to give up.

“We went to war with Hitler, the world’s most horrible racist,” Brooks said to National Geographic when he talked about why he was serving in the Army. Lawrence Brooks often faced adversity, but he pressed on showing true American grit because he felt called to make his country and this world a better place.

Mr. Brooks is a true testament to what the American spirit and American people are. To sum it all up in a quote, Lawrence Brooks says the cornerstone for a good life is pretty straightforward: “Serve God, and be nice to people,” something we could all learn from today.