In June of 2014, an 11-year-old boy traveled to Normandy, France in honor of the seventieth anniversary of D-Day. While there, he launched a project called “Project Vigil” in which he spent four days teaching tourists about three paratroopers who were buried in the American Cemetery.

The boy had planned on wearing his WWII style uniform to the official D-Day celebration, but local police wouldn’t allow him to do so. Undeterred, the boy threw on his uniform and headed to Omaha Beach with his American Flag.

The boy planted the flag in the sand and spent an hour staring towards the water in a salute to honor all those who fought and died there on D-Day.

If you somehow make it to the 5:02 part without breaking into tears, you definitely will then! This young boy inspired someone to join him. Watch the video below:

Too often, youngsters are not aware of our history. This boy shows how important it is to pass on the stories of sacrifices to the next generation. He traveled to France and educated others on what Americans soldiers experienced seventy years earlier on D-Day. That’s quite a commitment for a child.

When told that he couldn’t honor these soldiers by dressing in uniform, he went the distance and went down the beach where so many of them died protecting our freedom and battling the Nazis. Most adults couldn’t hold a salute for an hour and a half, but this boy did. He did this because it was important for him to remember and honor those men whose lives were lost on that fateful day that changed the course of World War II. Those men made history on the beaches of Normandy. This 11-year-old boy never wants us to forget this!

Share this to honor those who fought and died for our country.