Fort Hood “Hug Lady,” Woman Who Hugged Soldiers As They Deployed And Returned From War, Passes Away At 83

BlutarskyTFM10 years ago

On December 24, just a day before Christmas, a true American hero passed away. Though you may have never heard of her, I can assure you, Elizabeth Laird, better known as “The Hug Lady,” was a patriot in every sense of the word.

Since the beginning of the Global War on Terror in 2001, countless men and women have deployed from Fort Hood, a massive Army post in central Texas, to numerous places around the world to fight terror at its source. In addition to being the home to some of the active duty Army’s largest formations, Fort Hood is also where many National Guard and Reserve units receive their final mobilization training before heading overseas.

Elizabeth Laird made sure that every soldier knew they were appreciated not only when they departed, but when they returned home, as well. Laird would hug every individual before they boarded aircraft that would take them to some far away warzone, and she would be there waiting to give each individual a hug when they returned.

Though this may not seem like a great feat to some of you, I can assure you this was quite a big deal. As this story spread on Facebook, I saw many friends who have been hugged by Elizabeth Laird share their personal stories and describe how much it meant to them.

For some, it was just a nice way of being welcomed home. For others, those who had no friends or family waiting for them, it meant the world that one person was taking all that time to show how appreciated they and their service were.

Thank you for everything you have done for the men and women who serve our nation, ma’am. You will truly be missed..

[via KCEN TV]

Image via YouTube