BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Three Western New York veterans were presented with the Purple Heart — the ultimate symbol of courage and selflessness.
Vietnam War veteran Sergeant John Jenkins accepted his award, along with several other service medals, at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park.
"He's leaving a legacy for myself and for the generations to come after him," Myles Cameron, his grandson, said. "He's leaving a legacy of love, a legacy of hard work, and a legacy of dedication."
The other two veterans honored today, Sergeant Florian Fenclau and Specialist Four Joseph Urbanczyk, have passed away — their families accepted the award in their honor.
"Just knowing that what he did and the things he survived are being honored, even it's many years later, is super important to our family," Robin Socci, granddaughter of Sergeant Fenclau, said.
Socci was nine-years-old when her grandfather passed away, but looks back on her memories with him fondly.
"The older I get, the more I recognize how important it is to remember those who came before us," Socci said.
With National Purple Heart Day approaching, recognizing about a million combat veterans who were wounded or died in action, it is never too late to take a moment to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
"He was thought so well of," Socci said about her grandfather. "He was loved by others — more than just our family. Everybody honors what he did for our country."
