This is Frank Tanabe, a 93-year-old veteran of World War II who is dying of cancer, casting what will likely be his last ballot. This photo, posted online by his grandson, has stirred hearts across the web: Photo of Second World War veteran casting ballot captures hearts.
Tanabe is suffering from an inoperable cancer tumor in his liver. His condition is deteriorating and he doesn't have a lot of time left, but one thing he was determined to do was exercise his civic duty and vote:
He's been determined to vote regardless, eagerly asking when the ballot would be arriving in the mail, his daughter said. She kept telling him, "don't worry, it's coming." He filled it out immediately when it landed in the mailbox on Wednesday.This is a man who was ordered into an internment camp at Tule Lake, volunteered to fight for the United States in World War II, and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his service in the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. And now he votes from his hospice bed.
Barbara Tanabe read aloud the names of the candidates to her dad. He either nodded "yes" to the names or shook his head "no." She filled in the boxes on his behalf, following his instructions even when he didn't pick the people she wanted.
"There were some that were OK, but there were others where I said, 'Dad, are you sure?'" she said.
But he knew what he was doing. He's kept up on the issues, reading newspapers regularly until only recently, she said.
In case you were wondering what an American hero looks like.