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A story to remind our soldiers on this Veteran’s Day…may you never feel misbegotten…

for all of you who have fought and fight for our freedom…shall never be forgotten:

He wore a black shirt into the bookstore…and immediately I was impressed

when he faced me and I saw the words ‘Until Valhalla’ emblazoned across his chest.

Working in the bookstore has made me somewhat of an extrovert….

so I immediately asked him what was the meaning of the words upon shirt.

Turns out the Til Valhalla Project was started by Korey Shaffer, a Veteran, and his wife

after a close friend of Korey’s from the Afghan war…sadly…took his life.

Korey, a proud and strong Marine, was injured in that war…and even with loving wife…

was facing a slew of difficulties adjusting back to a normal life.

Korey didn’t take the suicide of his friend well….no…not well at all

while grieving and dealing with his own demons…he turned to alcohol.

After learning of the way his friend and comrade-in-arms had died…

Korey realized the unit he served with had an alarming amount of suicides…

Determined to defeat his own demons and get his life back on track…

Korey, to honor his fallen friend…began to make a plaque.

I can’t imagine his mixed emotions…all the sentiments he was feeling

but somewhere during the making of that plaque…Korey started healing

In some unintended way for Korey…that plaque worked much like a balm…

and when it was finished he gifted that plaque to his now deceased friend’s mom.

Who loved it…told all her friends…and not only did Korey get great feedback…

but he was inundated with requests…from other families…all who wanted plaques.

As demands grew…for more plaques…to help ease the pain of those forlorn

from the minds of Korey and his wife the The Til Valhalla Project was born.

’til Valhalla’ comes from Norse Mythology…and is something soldiers say

as they head off into battle…not knowing if they’ll return that day.

It ties the soldiers together…completing a sacred bond….

It means not only are they comrades in life…but they will be comrades beyond.

And though I’ve never fought in a war…I’ll respectfully  wear my ‘UNTIL VALHALLA ‘shirt…(like that veteran’s in my store…mine is the color black)

To help the families of all our fallen heroes…receive one of Korey’s plaques.

The money spent on TVP projects not only honors those who’ve died….

But also helps in the ongoing fight against Veterans suicide.