KEY POINTS

  • The picture was taken at funeral of fallen WWII serviceman Fred Ladage.
  • The man in the photo was quickly identified as US Army veteran Bradley Faulkner.

A Missouri woman has spoken of her gratitude after a patriotic trucker pulled over on a busy highway to pay respects to her deceased Second World War veteran grandfather.

Kristen Collins and her family were travelling in a funeral procession on Interstate 70 when they noticed the man had stepped out of his vehicle and put his hand on his heart in a show of solidarity. Kirsten took a picture of the heart-warming gesture and posted it to Facebook last Friday (January 5). She wrote:

"While in the funeral procession today to Jefferson barracks to lay my grandfather to rest a man driving a truck pulled off and made honor as we all proceeded. Thank you for showing such great honor - I found and got to personally thank this man!! #USN #USNR #WWII #goodgoesaround."

Collins was burying her 91-year-old grandfather Fred Ladage, who had served in the Navy and Navy Reserves during the conflict.

"For that moment, everything about my grandfather about his legacy and life was important," Collins told KSDK. "And people were stopping to honour that."

The man in the picture was quickly identified as nine-year US Army veteran Bradley Faulkner after the image was shared widely. The pair arranged to meet and Faulkner went to visit Collins's home in O'Fallon, Missouri, just hours later.

"It's just such an honour to be able to meet the person that made such an impact on us for a moment in time," she added.

Faulkner said: "It doesn't change or alter your life at all to maybe lift up that one family and say, 'hey, in your time of need, I'm here for you whether I know you or not."

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