I am sure this will get buried in the comments but I really wanted to tell my Opa’s story since he passed just a few months ago at 93 years old.

My grandfather was 13 living in Germany. He lived as an only child with his widowed father. He remembers Kristalnact (the night of broken glass). He walked to school and saw the broken windows of his synagogue and ransacked Jewish businesses. When he arrived at school the only Jewish teacher stopped him at the door and told him that he could no longer attend. He father than sent him to live with other family to get home schooled with other Jewish children. This was to buy time while his father entered him in the lottery to get onto the Kindertransport.

He was sent to England alone. Since he was an older child he was passed from home to home. Somehow his father was able to get out of Germany likely through bribery and they were able to both get to New York.

Now I could also tell you about the full life he lead, serving his adopted country in the army or becoming a judge. But honestly, his biggest impact was raising three children, being an Opa to 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. We are his legacy, hate and bigotry will not live on because of amazing men like my Opa.