He has recently risen to heroic status in my eyes, at age 79, for single-handedly taking on the role of care-giver and car-driver for my terribly ill brother, Rick. Rick was disagnosed with inoperable brain and lung cancer last March. And while we've all taken numerous turns helping out in one way or another, it has lately fallen to Whitey to do much of the heavy lifting.

He dutifully drives from his home near Lynchburg to Rick's house in Springfield, every couple of weeks, to take Rick to various doctor's appointments, chemotherapy treatments, grocery shopping, the movies, and bascially just serves as Rick's pal. It's not easy on a nearly 8-decade-old man to see his oldest son decline, but my Dad never whines or complains. He just does what needs to be done.

Maybe that's what heroes do. Not being one myself, I'm not sure. But I think I know one when I see one.

Happened just a few weeks ago. And oddly enough, this story involves my Dad, too.

Several years ago, when Rick was still healthy, he and I went in together on a little project. And this project was directly related to a guy named Bill Myers. You might never have heard of him, but he meant a lot to the Hampton Roads community.

Bill was what you might call the Godfather of the Tidewater Veterans Memorial in Virginia Beach. He was there at the beginning, when it was constructed in the 80's, and he's been there ever since, making sure the site was properly maintained and groomed, and that each Memorial Day and Veteran's Day ceremony came off without a hitch.

So, one year, Bill calls me and tells me the thing I should do is honor my father while he's still living by buying a paver brick at the Memorial. Bill was the kind of guy you just couldn't say no to. Long story short, my Dad's birthday was coming up, and so was Memorial Day, and Rick and I were always at a loss on what to get for the man who has everything. So, that year, we got him a brick. Thanks to Bill.

Whitey came down here to the Memorial Day ceremony, and was on hand for the unveilling of his brick. It was great.

I got to thinking about that and much more this year at Veteran's Day. You see, Bill Myers wasn't present this year. At age 80, he'd died three days before. It didn't seem quite right there without him. And the good news is, they're going to name the Memorial after him next year, on Memorial Day 2008.

I got to see a whole other side of Bill a couple of days later, when I attended his funeral in Virginia Beach. I always knew Bill to be the great veterans' advocate, a proud World War II and Korean War Air Force veteran himself. What I learned at his service, though, was what a great family man he was. As various members of younger generations got up, and spoke eloquently of what "Papa" had meant in their lives.

He was their hero. Much like Whitey, or "Pap-pap" as my kids call him, is mine. It's never too late to say thanks. I'm glad Rick and I got the chance by way of the brick. Thanks to Bill.