Everett 4th of July Parade and NS Everett Open House

This year we continue to build on our community relations and out reach.

Tom Restemayer has kept in mind that we must provide the past and the young will give us a future

We have invited Nicholas Rider and his grandfather to be with us on the 4th.

Below is the story of Nicholas Rider

 

IVeterans' stories safe with Monroe boy
14-year-old preserves tales in self-published book

By Yoshiaki Nohara
Herald Writer

MONROE - John Haney served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Decades later, he shared his stories with his grandson, Nicholas Rider.

Nicholas took the stories to heart. He learned to appreciate freedom, which has been earned and protected by people like his grandfather.

By the time he turned 11, veterans had become his heroes. Whenever and wherever Nicholas spotted veterans, he would approach them and ask for their autographs. In time, he's collected about 50 autographs.

That wasn't enough for Nicholas. He decided to record their stories in a book. He spent two years on the project, and hand-wrote about 900 letters to veterans.

"They like it handwritten rather than typed because it's more personal," said Nicholas, now 14.

He edited the stories and self-published "America's True Heroes" about a year ago. The 312-page book features 118 veterans who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine from World War I to the current conflict in Iraq.

Word has spread among veterans about the book; to date, Nicholas has sold about 1,000 copies. He's considering creating another similar book, said Nicholas, who is home-schooled in Monroe and dreams of becoming an author and historian.

Nicholas' grandfather, Haney, is featured in the book. Haney, who grew up at a Spokane farm "cleaning up chicken poop," enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 17.

"I guess I was gung-ho," Haney said. "It seemed like the right thing to do at that time."

Haney went through eight weeks of boot camp in San Diego. He didn't enjoy scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush, but the intensive training made a man out of him quickly, Haney said.

He was stationed in Guam toward the end of World War II. He was on his way to China when Japan surrendered in August 1945, ending the war.

Haney, a soft-spoken man, has often shared those stories with Nicholas.

"The coolest thing I've ever heard was going to fight for our country and leaving everyday life behind to ensure freedom here," Nicholas said.

Working on the book helped Nicholas grow, said his father, Rick Rider.

"Believe or not, he was shy," Rider said of his son. "He's gained a lot of confidence in this."

Many veterans became emotional when he asked questions about their combat experience, Nicholas said.

Some choked up, he said. Some shed tears. Some couldn't bring themselves to tell their stories.

"I didn't want to hurt anybody in any way," he said.

Many thanked him for listening to them and recording their stories, Nicholas said.

Veterans wrote to him with their feedback about the book. Nicholas keeps a message sent from one veteran on the corkboard in his room.

The message reads: "God. Duty. Honor. Integrity."

Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.