Since Temperance Pattinson was only 3 years old, she has been participating with an organization to help raise money for war veterans. Now, she is 5 and doing the same thing for veterans, but she had never even met one until a few months ago.
Temperance got to meet Simon Brown, who was a soldier for 13 years in the Army when he was shot by an Iraqi sniper in 2006 and lost practically all of his eyesight. He has since endured 25 surgeries. His face is disfigured, but Temperance was not discouraged by his appearance. Instead, she listened to his story and she clearly understood the meaning of what she was doing in helping all war veterans.
The smart little girl did not do what she did for recognition or fun or anything like that. She merely wanted to support all of those heroes who keep her and the rest of us safe. “I’m quite proud of the soldiers,” she told Simon. Temperance also told Simon that through her money-raising efforts – such as a triathlon – she likes to challenge herself. And she appreciates that soldiers, too, challenge themselves.
Simon told the little girl that it’s because of the challenges that she does and the money she raises that people like him can get better. Then he told Temperance that people like her “are our heroes.”
