TOM REED IS A NATIVE OF TRENTON'S GOOSETOWN, AND ONE OF THE LOYAL VISITORS TO THIS WEBSITE. IT'S COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT TOM IS NOT ONLY A CONTEMPORARY OF MINE, BUT HE ALSO HAS A TRAIT WHICH IS COMMON TO ALL OF THE GLOVER FAMILY. MOM GLOVER USED TO SAY, "WE WEAR OUR HEARTS ON OUR SLEEVES." I HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO "LOSE IT" AT GRADUATIONS, WEDDINGS, CONFIRMATIONS, PATRIOTIC PARADES (ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE PLAYING A JOHN PHILLIP SOUSA MARCH AND OLD GLORY PASSES BY.) AS TOM REED'S AND MY TRIBUTE TO MEMORIAL DAY, AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR VETERANS EVERYWHERE,
PLEASE READ THIS VERY TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE FAST VANISHING "GREATEST GENERATION" AND CLICK ON THE LINK TO HEAR A SONG WHICH WILL TOUCH YOU DOWN TO YOUR VERY DEEPEST SOUL. THESE WONDERFUL VETERANS ARE NOW IN THEIR MID AND LATE 80'S, AND VERY RAPIDLY GOING TO THEIR ETERNAL REST.
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FROM TOM REED:
The elderly parking lot attendant wasn't in a good mood!Neither was Sam Bierstock. It was around 1 a.m., and Bierstock, a Delray Beach , Fla. , eye doctor, business consultant, corporate speaker and musician, was bone tired after appearing at an event.He pulled up in his car, and the parking attendant began to speak. 'I took two bullets for this country and look what I'm doing,' he said bitterly.At first, Bierstock didn't know what to say to the World War II veteran. But he rolled down his window and told the man, 'Really, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.'Then the old soldier began to cry.'That really got to me,' Bierstock says.Cut to today.Bierstock, 58, and John Melnick, 54, of Pompano Beach - a member of Bierstock's band, Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Band - have written a song inspired by that old soldier in the airport parking lot. The mournful 'Before You Go' does more than salute those who fought in WWII. It encourages people to go out of their way to thank the aging warriors before they die.'If we had lost that particular war, our whole way of life would have been shot,' says Bierstock, who plays harmonica. 'The WW II soldiers are now dying at the rate of about 2,000 every day. I thought we needed to thank them.'The song is striking a chord. Within four days of Bierstock placing it on the Web, the song and accompanying photo essay have bounced around nine countries, producing tears and heartfelt thanks from veterans, their sons and daughters and grandchildren. 'It made me cry,' wrote one veteran's son. Another sent an e-mail saying that only after his father consumed several glasses of wine would he discuss ' the unspeakable horrors' he and other soldiers had witnessed in places such as Anzio, Iwo Jima, Bataan and Omaha Beach. 'I can never thank them enough,' the son wrote. 'Thank you for thinking about them.'Bierstock and Melnick thought about shipping it off to a professional singer, maybe a Lee Greenwood type, but because time was running out for so many veterans, they decided it was best to release it quickly, for free, on the Web. They've sent the song to Sen. John McCain and others in Washington . Already they have been invited to perform it in Houston for a Veterans Day tribute - this after just a few days on the Web. They hope every veteran in America gets a chance to hear it.GOD BLESS every EVERY veteran...and THANK you to those of you veterans who may receive this !
The elderly parking lot attendant wasn't in a good mood!Neither was Sam Bierstock. It was around 1 a.m., and Bierstock, a Delray Beach , Fla. , eye doctor, business consultant, corporate speaker and musician, was bone tired after appearing at an event.He pulled up in his car, and the parking attendant began to speak. 'I took two bullets for this country and look what I'm doing,' he said bitterly.At first, Bierstock didn't know what to say to the World War II veteran. But he rolled down his window and told the man, 'Really, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.'Then the old soldier began to cry.'That really got to me,' Bierstock says.Cut to today.Bierstock, 58, and John Melnick, 54, of Pompano Beach - a member of Bierstock's band, Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Band - have written a song inspired by that old soldier in the airport parking lot. The mournful 'Before You Go' does more than salute those who fought in WWII. It encourages people to go out of their way to thank the aging warriors before they die.'If we had lost that particular war, our whole way of life would have been shot,' says Bierstock, who plays harmonica. 'The WW II soldiers are now dying at the rate of about 2,000 every day. I thought we needed to thank them.'The song is striking a chord. Within four days of Bierstock placing it on the Web, the song and accompanying photo essay have bounced around nine countries, producing tears and heartfelt thanks from veterans, their sons and daughters and grandchildren. 'It made me cry,' wrote one veteran's son. Another sent an e-mail saying that only after his father consumed several glasses of wine would he discuss ' the unspeakable horrors' he and other soldiers had witnessed in places such as Anzio, Iwo Jima, Bataan and Omaha Beach. 'I can never thank them enough,' the son wrote. 'Thank you for thinking about them.'Bierstock and Melnick thought about shipping it off to a professional singer, maybe a Lee Greenwood type, but because time was running out for so many veterans, they decided it was best to release it quickly, for free, on the Web. They've sent the song to Sen. John McCain and others in Washington . Already they have been invited to perform it in Houston for a Veterans Day tribute - this after just a few days on the Web. They hope every veteran in America gets a chance to hear it.GOD BLESS every EVERY veteran...and THANK you to those of you veterans who may receive this !
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO HEAR THE SONG AND SEE THE PICTURES:
http://www.managedmusic.com/php/BYGIndex.php?page=playBYG
http://www.managedmusic.com/php/BYGIndex.php?page=playBYG
Tom Reed is a wonderful former Marine. I've only known him because we were born and raised in what we called Goosetown, and have a common bond with an old Goosetowner , Lyman Knowles. I know Lyman real well, but never m
ReplyDeletemet Tom Reed who is about 6 years younger than I. But coming from the same old neighborhood( I lived on Kossuth St,)which is no longer there, but would be one St north of the Trentonian, we have a lot in common and keep in touch through E mail. .The D & R Canal is always a ready topic of discussion, and I attempt to forward info to Tom.
Unfortunatel Tom's love of his Life " Maria" passed away recently, and he sorely misses her. It is quite evident in his mailings.
Just wanted you to know that we are well aware of Tom Reed and his background.
Your sight is great and I admire your tenacious activities , along with so many others.
Jim Puliti