95-Year-Old Veteran Jumps Off Diving Board To Help Little Boy Watching Be Brave
This veteran airman may be 95 years old, but there’s still a kid inside.
Meet World War II and Korean War veteran Daniel Bliss, a man impervious to the fear of diving into deep water. His wife of 72 years is a veteran herself, serving in the Coast Guard as an administrative aid.
It all started at a neighborhood pool, where a young boy was admittedly afraid to jump off the diving board. So Bliss took it upon himself to prove to the boy that he had no reason to fear.
Slowly but surely, Bliss stepped onto the diving board. He had a couple friends helping him out, and used his cane to guide himself down the plank.
Bliss gave a dramatic pause to flex his bicep for all to see. Well played, sir.
Millions of viewers gasped with nervous energy at what happened next: Bliss lost his balance slightly, and wobbled perilously from side to side.
After a few audible gasps from bystanders, Bliss continued to get himself into position. Everyone expected the Airman to jump into the pool.
Instead, he dove.
Cheers erupted from the water, as friends helped Bliss rise to the surface and swim to the side.
Christine Ross, Bliss’ daughter, was behind the camera during her father’s dive.
“He is very spry for his age,” Ross told USA Today. “He’s 95 soon to be 96-years-old and is both a WWII and Korean War veteran in the U.S. Air Force.”
“He is full of amazing stories and has a song for every situation,” Ross said.
One burning question about the day remains to be answered — did the scared little boy ever jump after seeing Bliss?
We don’t yet know, but either way, Bliss has certainly inspired millions of viewers on social media to keep on living life without fear.
Kevin Ross, Daniel’s grandson, said his grandfather is pretty proud of the feat.
“Little did we know he would actually dive,” Kevin said. “He said soon after this video that he wants to be seen around the world.”
With well over 33 million views already, this veteran is well on his way to being known around the world.
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