My tribute tattoo to a Pearl Harbor Survivor I interviewed
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Here is my new tattoo which is my birthday present. This tattoo means a lot to me because this is my tribute to Pearl Harbor Survivor Jim Dewitt. This is the ship he served on when Pearl Harbor happened. I was only 12 years old when I first met him in August 2017.
I was just in awe that I never thought I would get to meet someone who was there plus hear his story. After that day, I never ever expected how much he would mean to m especially our friendship. When I got to visit with him, we would talk about WWII History and Pearl Harbor. Although he was blind, he was the most sharpest tack I have ever met in my life.
I celebrated his birthdays with him, him being honored for his service, and even remembering the anniversary of Pearl Harbor each year. Ik how proud he was of me that I was recording these stories and keeping their history and legacy after they’re gone. He would love to hear the stories I told him from the WWII Veterans that I interviewed. He was blown away with how young I was and how smart and acknowledgeable about WWII History.
Unfortunately he passed away in October 2022 at the age of 101, I never got to say goodbye to him. At his celebration of life, his family loved how much I meant to him. He was so proud to call me his friend. After the celebration of life, his daughter came up too me and noticed me crying.
That was the first moment in my life that I realized how much he meant to me. I think about him often. I will be honest, I’m crying rn typing this knowing how much I miss him.
Jim, I miss u, Ik ur looking down from Heaven so proud of me with keeping these stories alive and proud with how much I know about WWII. Out of all of the WWII Veterans that I’ve interviewed, you meant the most to me. RIP Jim, I’ll see you when I get up there in Heaven. I’ll shake ur hand, salute you, hug you, and tell you “It’s good to see you again Jim”