🎓 At just 22, Nicholas Allen stood tall in his crisp Navy uniform, freshly graduated from Cornell and ready to serve his country. His heart carried more than ambition—it carried the legacy of his grandfather, Gail, who had spent 13 proud years beneath the ocean’s surface aboard submarines.

🧳 But Alzheimer’s had stolen much from Gail—his clarity, his memories, and even the chance to sit in the audience on that milestone day. Still, Nicholas refused to let the moment pass without him.

🌿 In the quiet of their backyard, Gail buttoned up his old uniform, the fabric worn but filled with history. And there, face-to-face with his grandson, he lifted his hand for the first salute.

💙 The disease may blur timelines and names, but in that instant, pride shone through crystal clear. Two sailors—one seasoned, one just beginning—stood united by service, by honor, and by love that no illness could erase.

✨ Some traditions aren’t bound by place or ceremony. They live in the heart, passed hand to hand, salute to salute, generation to generation.