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The Internet Rallied Hundreds of People to Go Pay Respects at This Lonely Vet’s Funeral

The Internet Rallied Hundreds of People to Go Pay Respects at This Lonely Vet’s Funeral

When World War II vet Harold Jellicoe “Coe” Percival passed away quietly in his sleep at the age of 99 in October, his obituary contained this heartbreaking sentence: “he has no close family who can attend his funeral.” The obit asked for “any service personnel who can” to make an appearance at his funeral. In one of the rare instances in which the Internet actually does something nice, the obit started getting passed around and eventually made its way to Reddit. “If you’re in the area give him the send off he deserves,” said Sgt. Rick Clement, an Afghanistan War vet who lost his legs in combat, posted to Facebook. “This guy needs and deserves your help.” The call was heeded, and Harold received in death what he hadn’t in life. A huge crowd showed up (over 300, by one count) and braved the rain to pay their respects and thank him for his service. Happy Veteran’s Day, one and all …

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