CHAPTER 116
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES was on the platform next to his First Lady, Beatrice, Charles L. Nolan, Sandro Palmeira and Claire M. Smith seeing all the events taking place, the army had fired the volley of fire in honor of John Bernard Smith Jr.
The President of the United States of America stood in front of the pulpit and saw the sepulchral silence of that moment.
— We are here in honor of our great hero John Bernard Smith Jr, the man who saved the world from World War III, giving his life so that billions of other lives could be spared from extermination on American soil, as well as praising the courage of our agent Tammy Mendonza, both died on the job.
He nodded and Claire descended from the dais and lit the eternal fire in memory of her husband.
— That flame,— the President continued, — must always be lit for us to remember that one man can make a difference at a crucial moment in history, America was made by men like John, who put his country, his family and each of us above his own life, is a hero in the most unrestricted sense of the word, someone who has won the highest decoration for an act of bravery several times, a hero who in many moments acted without his actions being reported in all the media.
The President received a standing ovation.
— Your husband, Mrs. Smith, is an example to be followed, I'm sure your parents are in heaven watching and proud of the son they had, just as you must be proud of the person who saved a nation.
Sandro Palmeira handed Claire the folded flag, along with her sixth and final Medal of Honor and said:
— Your husband was the most extraordinary person I ever met, Mrs. Smith.
She nodded and hugged him.
— I know you spent the last moments of your life with him, I would like to thank you for that.
— But you spent your life by his side, you're the man you became thanks to you, you're a hero because he didn't want a war to happen so you could be happy, he wanted to prolong your happiness a little longer.
She returned the satisfied smile.
CLAIRE LAY DOWN that night holding the flag and medal on her chest and cried herself to sleep and never woke up.