A 104-YEAR-OLD Second World War hero has found himself inundated with Valentine’s Day cards.
An avid collector of objects and photographs from his incredible life, US Marine Corps veteran Maj. Bill White was eager to make this a February 14 to remember.
So, with the help of staff at the California retirement home where he lives and CNN affiliate KTXL, he made an appeal for members of the public to send him a card this Valentine’s Day.
"I'll save every one of them like I've been saving little things that have come up until right now and they'll be a personal part of my history," White explained to KTXL.
According to CNN, White’s room boasts bookcases and cupboards full of scrapbooks and souvenirs – often organised by year – that remind him of his many experiences.
Experiences like more than 30 years of service in the US Marines or the Purple Heart earned for his efforts during the Second World War most notably during the bloody and brutal Battle of Iwo Jima.
White made the plea for Valentine’s in the hopes of adding a few cards to his collection of memories.
However, he ended up getting more than a couple of cards in the post – 300,000 more, to be precise.
Written by admirers from all over the world, the cards come complete with personal messages of love and support for White which have each been read aloud to him.
Many come from military families eager to pay their respects, others from people simply touched by his story.
His walls are now covered with the cards.
In fact, staff at his retirement home have run out of space on his walls. They have been forced to put them up in the library. And the living room. And the medium. And the activity room.
And even an empty apartment.
With over 300,000 cards and counting, it may even end up being a Guinness World Record.
Bill White wanted to make it a Valentine’s Day to remember.
It's certainly one he’ll never forget.
See More: Army, Second World War, World War 2, World War II
