This 86-year-old gentleman was left to wait on us by his son, the owner of a hotel we were visiting. His mind was slipping and he wasn’t sure what to charge, but as he started to share his vivid memories of being a fighter pilot in WWII, his fragile, uncertain demeanor disappeared and was replaced by a look of courage and determination.
For a moment we could see the pilot that still lived in him today! I asked for his address, and as he wrote, his soft white hair glowed against the darkening window. I had to paint this hero!