A WWII vet has lived to see several generations of people he fought for, including his great-great-granddaughter.
Dewey Muirhead, who served in the Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945, had a tearful surprise when his granddaughter, Lexie Fowler, brought him to a secret photo shoot.
Lexie had hired a photographer to capture her newborn, Millie, with her 101-year-old great-grandfather. The photographer “takes pictures of veterans free of charge,” according to The New York Post. They wanted to surprise him so they could get his reaction on camera.
“When I told her that I was having a baby, she immediately jumped on it and said, ‘We have to get photos with your great-grandpa because this makes five generations,’” Lexie told the publication.
A TikTok video, which went viral with over 6 million views, shows that Dewey wore a blindfold for the big reveal. After the camera caught a few snapshots, he saw what all the fuss was about.
Lexie’s husband removed the blindfold and the WWII vet saw his great-great-granddaughter. The moment he realized what was happening, he became visibly emotional.
Dewey reached over to hold the baby and kiss her on the forehead.
“What in the world are you doing? … Oh, isn’t she pretty? Look at her,” he said through tears.
“It was honestly the coolest experience,” Lexie shared. “Watching my great-grandfather cradle her in his arms — and she was just soothed. It’s almost like that’s what he has long held on for, for so long.”
The WWII Vet’s Family Will “Cherish” The Moment “Forever”
Dewey was stationed in Germany, France, and Belgium during WWII. Before he left, he married his wife, Inez, and was married to her for 79 years. Inez passed away in 2021.
“I’m sure when he went to war, he didn’t even know if he would make it back home to his wife, let alone meet his great-great-grandchild,” Lexie continued. “This is the first great-great-grandchild [in the family], so it was very, very special for him. There’s a photograph where he’s holding her and you can just see the look in his eyes, and he’s got tears.”
Despite being a centenarian, Dewey continues to live a largely independent life. He has some help from his family and the VA, but he still lives on his own and manages his daily routines. So Lexie is hopeful that he will be able to watch Millie grow.
“The reason we recorded it was so we can show it to Millie someday,” Lexie added.
“If I could just spread one message to anyone, it would be to cherish those moments with your family and that God is very good for allowing us to give this opportunity to him and our family — and be able to spread it across the whole world,” she continued. “This is something we will cherish forever.”
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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