This One Photo: An Eagle On A Gravestone At Fort Snelling National Cemetery
On Memorial Day 2015, a photo of a bald eagle perching on the gravestone of a fallen soldier rings true to the spirit of the day. Today is a day when the United States remembers those women and men who died serving in the country's armed forces, and this one photo taken at Fort Snelling National Cemetery by photographer Frank Glick has struck a nerve. While the photo itself was taken months ago – scratch that, YEARS AGO – the image has spread *again* in a big way since earlier this morning.
Not to be confused with Veterans Day, Memorial Day is a day to celebrate those who served with the United States armed forces and are no longer with us. Fort Snelling National Cemetery is home to thousands of graves of soldiers and those that've served the country in wars and combat situations.
Amateur photographer Frank Glick snapped this photo on his way to work one day. A friend of his suggested that he contact any living relatives of the soldier the eagle had landed upon.
The grave belonged to Maurice Ruch, and his widow was "delighted to receive a copy of the eagle watching over her beloved husband."
That's according to Jon Tevlin of the Star Tribune, writer responsible for reporting the story for the Minneapolis newspaper.
NOTE: For those of you that suggest that the photo was faked – the source suggests there are additional images captured with the same Nikon camera this image was captured with, by Glick, and that cemetery employees see eagles at the cemetery "all the time."
The next image you're seeing here was photographed from the International Space Station by astronaut Scott Kelly.
With this image he includes the following: "This Memorial Day honoring those who gave their lives in service to our nation with a picture of Arlington Cemetery."
UPDATE: Good times – the photo of the eagle was actually captured all the way back in 2011. This is a great example of a form of media that just does not get old.
While we move from image to image, story to story, caring only about the newest piece of gear or the latest in late photographs of stars, here rests something that's truly special.