My heart for veterans started with my grandfather, Tom Sharp.

He was a U.S. Marine and much of the drive I carry today came from him. He was always pushing me to do better, encouraging me to reach a little farther and reminding me not to settle. He also jokingly called me his favorite grandchild, which, of course, I chose to believe.

His story with my grandmother began in a way no one would ever plan. During a training exercise gone wrong, my grandfather was shot in the back. His best friend was killed. My grandmother, a Navy nurse, cared for him while he recovered. Eventually, he worked up the nerve to ask her on a date.

Their first date was to a drive-in movie. She was so nervous she spilled coffee all over him. Apparently, that was enough to solidify what became a 57-year marriage.

My grandfather died in 2010. My grandmother turns 94 this December.

Because of them, veterans have always held a special place in my heart.

There is something extraordinary about a person willing to stand up and fight for what they believe in. There is also something extraordinary about the families who watch a son, daughter, husband or wife leave, knowing there is always the possibility they may not come home.

Veterans have seen things most civilians can probably never fully imagine.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of sitting with veterans and hearing their stories, from damaged planes brought safely home and teams led out of enemy territory to prisoners rescued from internment camps and the heartbreak of Vietnam veterans returning to a country that often treated them with cruelty instead of gratitude.

Then there are the Tuskegee Airmen, who fought for their country while also fighting their own country for the equal rights they deserved.

Considering all who served during World War II, an entire generation of veterans is nearly gone, and with them go firsthand stories we can never replace.

Veterans are a different breed of humanity. Their courage, sacrifice and resilience deserve far more than a single day of recognition.

They deserve our respect, our gratitude and, most importantly, to be remembered.