A grandson takes his 95-year-old grandfather on a trip in a the motor home instead of locking him in a retirement home
Johnnie Dimas has turned 95. He was a soldier during World War II, and was a highly respected veteran in the United States, but sadly lost his 67-year-old wife and caregiver. In order not to be alone and end up in a retirement home, Johnnie decided to move into the home of his grandson and his wife, who live in Sedona, Arizona. Despite his advanced age, the couple decided to take him on an unforgettable trip through the USA!
via Medium
Roger and Jo Gilbert decided to organize the trip in October 2020, to fulfill a wish that Johnnie has always had, to do a motor home tour of the United States of America. Grandson Roger knew that his grandfather wouldn't have much time left on this Earth, so he decided to fulfill one of his last wishes: not to be shut in a retirement home but to travel the world!
So, the Gilbert family packed the elderly war veteran into their RV to take a trip through the United States which he would never forget: from New Orleans to Las Vegas, from the Mexican border to the nation's major WWII museums, where he was treated like a king.
Johnnie had enlisted in the Marines at the age of 17, serving in Guam where he was wounded and then sent back to the United States to be treated in hospital. After suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, he was even treated with electro-convulsive therapy, until later, he was discharged from the hospital and returned home to start a family ...
The motorhome in which Johnnie traveled around the United States with his grandson Roger and his wife Jo was renamed "Sweet Mary Bus", in honor of Johnnie's wife, who had passed away two years earlier ...
Of all this amazing experience, grandson Roger said: "I can honestly say that taking care of grandpa was the most difficult and rewarding thing we have ever done. Taking care of someone 24/7 is a very difficult job, but it also teaches you to be selfless."
His wife Jo added: "Grandpa taught us so many things. With the joy and contentment he felt sitting next to a campfire, or the sweet moments spent feeding popcorn to ducks, he taught me that the simple times, the quiet moments in life are the ones to cherish."
You can can see more of the photos taken during the extraordinary camper trip on the Sweet Mary Bus Instagram profile.
