LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — James Hellard, a World War II veteran who served on the front lines in the Battle of the Bulge, celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by his favorite things: live music and his loved ones.
"The biggest thing I'm proud of is his heart and how giving he is, and how kind he is to everybody. And of course, I'm proud of what he did in the war, you know, for being a war hero," Latonna Wilson said.
Wilson celebrated her hero's centennial birthday, honoring a man who was shipped to Belgium as a teenager to protect the United States during World War II.
Hellard served in the Battle of the Bulge, the Nazis' last true offensive move in the war. The impact of his service extends far beyond his personal story.
"The effect of what they did, what it's done for us now, we would not be here. We would probably be speaking German. I mean we would not be this country," Wilson said.
While there are many memories Hellard wishes he could forget from his days in Europe, there's one thing he wouldn't change for the world: the friendship he formed with fellow mortar man Ralph Denson.
"He's like a brother to me, you never forgot the guy you fought with," Hellard said.
For his big day, Denson surprised his ally by making the trip from North Carolina. The reunion was emotional for everyone involved.
"He looked and looked, shook his head, I think he said, I can't believe this," Denson said.
"My dad, he started to cry," Wilson said.
The two veterans haven't seen each other in two years, making the surprise even more meaningful.
"I'm really glad to see him, we've been buddies since '44. We've always stayed in contact," Denson said.
While Denson is also set to turn 100 in February, Hellard can hardly believe where the time has gone.
"When my daughter told me I'm turning 100, I thought I was about 75," Hellard said.
"Things like this are important. I'm a huge believer in people getting together, spending time together. In the old days this is what they did," Wilson said.
The story of these two heroes becomes even more remarkable. They helped liberate Dachau concentration camp in Germany, and when they did, Hellard adopted a Nazi-trained war dog named Tiger that he brought back home with him.
