JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Life can change in an instant and that's true for everything, but certainly true for members of the military who see combat.
In this week's Stories of Service, we meet a World War 2 veteran who was mere inches away from life ending in a flash.
"I still can see that battle, or that shell landed so close," said Americo "Rick" Fusco, "just a lot of smoke, acrid or debris came in from the results of the shell exploding."
Fusco was on the front lines of WWII with the 91st Infantry and saw constant battle from 1943 to 1945 in Italy, but miraculously was never injured.
"Close so many times, so close, one shell, a German 88 landed within one foot," said Fusco, "fortunately I was sitting up and my sergeant jumped in the hole with me because shells started coming so fast."
Fusco earned a Bronze Star for his service in the Army, but a higher power may have helped him stay safe.
"One of the battles I was in, in Europe, there was no way I was going to come out alive and I promised the Lord if he brought me through this one battle that I would serve him full time," said Fusco.
And he did just that. After leaving the Army, Fusco spent 40 years as an assistant pastor at Baptist churches throughout the country. In his retirement he's still talking to the "Man Upstairs" for one, specific next step.
"I had one brother who lived to be 104 and a sister who lived to be 101," said Fusco, "I'm hoping, praying that I make their age."
At the time of the interview Rick Fusco was 99 years old, but he turned 100 on Wednesday and will have a big party with his family to celebrate a century of life, and what a life it's been!
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