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Pilot offers to fly 88-year-old Korean War veteran to family reunion

Posted at 6:26 PM, Jul 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-07 23:45:51-04

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- Two military veterans and a private plane will make a family reunion complete this weekend – all thanks to a perfect stranger.

Eighty-eight-year-old David Cox has attended his family reunion for the last five decades.

The Korean War veteran and former pilot did not think he could handle the six-hour drive this weekend from Hanover to Lebanon, Virginia.

So he thought he would have to miss Saturday’s annual tradition for the first time.

That was -- until the family got connected with Navy veteran Marcus Simmons, who offered to fly cox to the reunion for free on his plane.

“I’m just glad to be in a position to do it for him and with him,” Simmons said.

“It’s really great that there’s still people like him here in this world,” Cox said.

Weather prevented takeoff from Hanover County Airport Friday afternoon, so they are scheduled to take flight Saturday a.m.

They should arrive just in time for the noon reunion where Cox will reconnect with 150 relatives from around the country.

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