What happens when a decorated Air Force colonel who survived two wars realizes that the greatest battle of his life is the one taking place inside his heart? In 2008, hospice aide Jeffrey Badders met an elderly veteran in North Scottsdale, Arizona, whom he would know for only about one month. The man, called John to protect his identity, had served during World War II's Burma Campaign, where he was shot down and became a prisoner of war. He also served during the Korean War and eventually retired as a colonel. Yet his deepest regret wasn't about the battlefield. It was about the years he had lost with his son and daughter. From breakfast and lunch overlooking the 18th hole of a golf course to home-cooked suppers and conversations over an old family photo album, an unexpected friendship developed. When Jeffrey discovered a ten-year-old postcard, he made a decision that could change John's final days. What followed was an unforgettable birthday reunion, a father's final wish, a pair of military dog tags, and an oak leaf waiting at the door of a red Mustang. Part of the true-life hospice series Faceless Confessions, Voices Beyond the Grave, this is a story about faith, family, forgiveness, compassion, and the courage to leave a door open when time is running out.
