Before You Go song

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.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO HEAR THE SONG AND SEE THE PICTURES:

http://www.managedmusic.com/Music/PlayBeforeYouGo.php

And when the songs done, come back and click this link to learn how you can say thanks to our current troops.

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/fullmovie.php

If you have a loved one in the service or who participated in any armed service any time, please share your stories.

 

Beautiful, Dave. As you know, I come from a long line of war veterans and currently have a son who proudly serves in the United States Army. My brother retired from the United States Marine Corps and is now serving in Afghanistan involved in troop training. I have two nephews presently in Iraq. I do not believe there is a male member of my family for generations who did not serve our country in some form of military service and several of my nieces are veterans as well.

 

Thanks for sharing Dave.

 

Very moving!

I know I've mentioned it before, but since it's almost Memorial Day I'll mention it again. My father often told stories of his time in the service. I should have listened more.

He was a WWII vet. At his wake, a local contingent of WWII vets came by for a brief ceremony. I was so moved by it, seeing those old men so proudly salute my Dad's coffin. I thinking about it now. I remember he often told my Mom to be sure to call the Veterans when he passed. He was proud of his service and rightfully so.

 

Val we had the services covered pretty good in our family. Dad was WWII Navy, I was Air Force (middle in picture below), one cousin was an Annapolis grad in Nam, another a Marine, another a female Army nurse, etc.

My uncle Bill who died at St. Lo, France.



My younger days.

 

Very moving song, indeed. Thank you for sharing.

 

This is from my dad's obituary. He wrote it himself.

He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, holding the rank of master sergeant. He served in the battles of Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe.
He was the recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon and the Distinguished Unit Badge with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Poirier Post and a former member of the Royal Travelers.
He enjoyed singing and sang with the Tex Bennekee Band when he was overseas.

This is Dad. I took a pic of his pic.

 

Thanks for sharing Lainey. I can tell that MSgt is a very respected rank in any service; you can be very proud.

 

Very touching. My Dad was in the Navy in WWII and served on a destroyer under Admiral "Bull" Halsey. His brother was on a tanker assigned to Halsey's' fleet as well. Their middle brother served with the same outfit as Audie Murphy (WWII's most decorated soldier) in the Army and was captured by the Germans. He escaped and fought on. Their younger brother was on a destroyer during the Korean conflict. 2 cousins were Marines, one was never the same after Viet Nam and he took his life. I served in the Navy during Viet Nam. I have thanked veterans of this war as well as they were considered the "greatest generation" and rightly so. We attend a Memorial service every year at Cape Henlopen State Park which was fortified for protection against German U boats during the war. I ride my bike there almost daily and often reflect on the sacrifices so many have made in all of the wars we have been involved in so that we may enjoy our freedom.

 

I do remember one story he told. He was in England I think. There was alcohol involved, too many guys in a jeep and a few stripes were "taken" from him for a while. There's a picture of him in a kilt somewhere too.

Dad liked to have a good time in his day.