ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL-- Community members and veterans all over the Quad Cities came together to celebrate at the Rock Island National Cemetery.
"It's hard to realize what it means, even to me being a veteran I was not on the front lines, my dad was,” said Ted Stimach. For the past ten years, U.S Army veteran Ted Stimach has come to celebrate Veterans Day on the Rock Island Arsenal.
Surrounded by people in the community to say thank you, but Ted doesn't come for people to honor him. He shows up in honor of his dad, a World War II veteran.
"He was hit going across France and he has passed on now and so I come to honor him and that respect,” said Stimach.
Ted sees both sides of someone who is being honored.
"I get to focus in on my dad's service and as a veteran myself, I followed him in his footsteps in the Army and that kind of thing but the other thing is to honor other veterans as well,” said Stimach.
For Ted it is hard not to get emotional with rows of veterans all around him.
"I am privileged to live in a country where each of our generations have to stand up so many of those before us did exactly the same thing those of us that had been in or are now serving are doing today,” said Stimach.
"I talked about three people who are buried here. There’s 33,500 heroes that either gave their life in combat or served honorably and selfishly throughout their career in the military,” said Colonel Stephen Marr.
For Ted and the dozens of others on the Arsenal today, they are thankful for every veteran. Past, present, and future.