WILKES-BARRE -- With Veterans Day just around the corner, students at Wilkes University took time out of their day to honor local veterans. A special brunch was held as part of a semester-long project for about 100 freshmen.
All it took was a little patriotic music to get the group of 100 veterans misty-eyed and chatty about their wartime experience. These men and women were paired up with 100 freshmen from Wilkes University this semester to teach them about their time spent overseas.
Stacey Horger teamed with Lenore Aston of Wilkes-Barre. Lenore served as a secretary for a general in Italy during World War II.
"I like to talk about my life because it's been so wonderful," said Aston.
About 800 World War II veterans die each day now, and students who were paired up with them said their stories meant a lot.
"My grandfather served in World War II, but he passed away. I don't think I ever met him, so it was a chance to learn what he might have went through too," said Stacey Horger, a Wilkes University freshman.
Veterans met with the students twice this semester at various senior centers and community centers in the area.
They were honored at the Hero's Brunch on the Wilkes campus, where they said they're happy to share their stories.
"I'm very proud to see that they're interested and thinking about it, and I thought we were like the guys in the forgotten service, the forgotten war, but we're not," said George Audi, World War II and Korean War veteran.
Especially for these students, who said the experience of meeting the veterans is something they'll never forget.