For several weeks, cards kept arriving until there was hardly any more room to store them in the assisted living facility of which he is a beloved resident. The social media campaign called “Operation Valentine” was launched by one of his fellow residents.
The post quickly went viral and cards started pouring in from all 50 US states and several foreign countries.
The Community Responded
As all the Valentine’s day cards started to arrive, the veteran noticed that many of them had heartfelt personal messages. Many community members volunteered to help read all the cards out loud. Sources say that Maj. White was hoping to gather around 100 cards for a scrapbook.
Estimating that over 300k cards arrived, Guinness World Records have been contacted to conduct an official count and check if any records were broken. Along with the cards came gifts such as artwork, handmade quilts, military memorabilia, and many items for his scrapbooks.
Military Families Showed Their Support
Having served over 30 years on active duty and received a Purple Heart after fighting in World War II, Maj. White was especially touched by the number of cards that arrived from military families. Reading all the cards and the heartwarming messages they contain is sure to provide another amazing memory for this retired veteran.
It just goes to show that communities around the world have a lot of love and respect to share, and when they come together to make a retired veteran’s wish come true, it’s something truly inspiring to witness.