Critter Sitter's Blog: An American Hero - Senator John Sidney McCain III

Last night and today I have been mourning the loss of a true American hero - John Sidney McCain III. A Republican Congressman - first elected as a Representative in 1980, then as a Senator in 1986 - representing the state of Arizona, he was a man with whom I did not see eye-to-eye with in politics. But he was one hell of a man. A real man. A true hero.
He was the son of a career US Navy man, John S McCain Jr , born on 29 August 1936 in Coco Solo, Panama. He entered the US Naval Academy two years before I was born, in 1954 - and graduated fifth from the bottom of his class. He became a Navy pilot. He was serving in Vietnam when his plane was shot down, and he was captured by the Vietnamese. He spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war - two years in solitary confinement - and was starved and tortured. Among the military medals McCain earned were three Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, two Legion of Merit awards, a Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
If he had chosen another running mate when he was nominated for the Presidency in 2008, we might be mourning an ex-President. However, Sarah Palin was chosen as his running mate, and I'm positive that's why he lost the election. It might have been a close election, had he had a different person as his Vice-Presidential running mate.
Last year, he developed a blood clot behind his left eye. During the surgery to remove the clot, it was discovered that Senator McCain had a malignant tumor growing behind his eye, in his brain. It was tested and was diagnosed as glioblastoma cancer. - The same type of brain cancer that killed my brother-in-law's youngest brother, an Army veteran.
On Friday morning, the McCain family announced that Senator McCain had decided to end medical treatment for the cancerous brain tumor. He passed away at 4:28 on Saturday, 25 August 2018 - 4 days before his 82nd birthday. May he rest in peace as a true American hero.