The stadium fell silent as 96-year-old World War II veteran John Pylman stepped onto the field. With a steady hand on the microphone, he removed his cap—a simple gesture that spoke volumes about his lifelong devotion to his country. As he began singing the national anthem, his voice, rich with experience and emotion, carried across the stands, uniting the crowd in a moment of collective pride.
Spectators placed their hands over their hearts, some with tears in their eyes, while players stood at attention, caps held respectfully over their chests. By the final note, the applause was thunderous, a fitting tribute not just to the anthem itself, but to the man who had lived its values. John’s crisp salute at the end was a reminder that patriotism knows no age—and that some voices only grow stronger with time.
