You don’t have to be an adult to change someone’s life or offer help to those in need.
Temperance Pattinson is only 5 ½ years old, but she had been volunteering to help veterans since she was just 3. She has always had respect for soldiers and a desire to give back to them.
Temperance, who likes to be called Tempy, wanted to do more.
She and some of her friends are working with Help for Heroes, an organization that offers support for people who sustained injuries and illnesses while serving in the British Armed Forces.
Tempy did a fundraiser for the organization where she swam a 100-meter race and also completed a triathlon. Tempy also got to meet one of the soldiers she was helping. The interaction was filmed. Tempy was very excited.
The soldier she got to meet was Simon Brown.
At 38 years old, Simon had served in the military for 13 years before he was seriously injured while in Iraq. Simon was shot in the face by a sniper while on a rescue mission. Before he was injured, he managed to save six people.
At one point, they weren’t sure that Simon was going to live. He pulled through, but his life is never going to be the same. He suffered serious trauma to his face. He was permanently disfigured and had many disabilities that he had to overcome. Simon never gave up, and he lives a normal life despite his injuries.
Simon wanted to meet Tempy, but he was afraid that his face would scare her and make it hard for her to talk to him.
Of course, Tempy wasn’t the least bit bothered by his looks, and she was happy to talk with him. The two friends hit it off instantly. Tempy told Simon:
“Even though I didn’t know any of the soldiers, I thought that since they did something for us, I could do something for them by raising money. I’m quite proud of the soldiers.”
Simon replied to Tempy:
“I’m telling you now that the soldiers are also very proud of you, because I’m 38 ½, and I can’t do a triathlon.”
Tempy told Simon that she is inspired by the soldiers to challenge herself. She challenges herself by trying to ride her bike, which is something she is still working on. She added:
“So that’s why people like you are our heroes.”
Simons didn’t hesitate to tell Tempy,
“And people like you are mine!”
Tempy even asked Simon about his injuries, and he didn’t mind explaining them to her.
She was very polite and understanding, and Simon seemed to really enjoy telling his story and getting a chance to meet the girl.
As young as she is, Tempy understands how important it is to let the soldiers know how much they are appreciated and what they do matters. In this case, it was also important for Simon to know that he isn’t scary or hard to look at. Tempy didn’t seem to mind, and after learning about his injuries, she was glad to understand how they happened.
If anything, she gained even more respect for him.
Tempy is still working to help veterans and is always planning the next big thing to raise money or awareness for her causes. Now that she has met Simon, she is even more motivated to help. Simon was also inspired by Tempy’s kindness and respect. It gave him a fresh outlook on life and a little peace of mind in knowing that his sacrifices matter to a lot more people than he realizes.
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