Billy stared at Mindy, motionless in the June sunlight. He looked into the crowd, recognizing the faces and voices of many. People waited in hopeful silence as he moved around his brother’s grave. He dropped to his knees and touched Pete’s tombstone, kneeling there for several minutes until the sound of a baby crying echoed through the outdoor PA system.

Mindy laughed, fumbled with the wireless microphone, and said, “You see, Uncle Billy, even the newest member of our family wants you back.”

As the crowd watched, Billy Mitchell ran to the podium and embraced Mindy Mitchell, the baby between them. Crying, she placed her daughter into his arms and began to clap. Soon thousands of people were clapping and cheering as Billy carried his young niece away from the crowd.

As they walked away from the podium, Billy turned around and looked up at the flag. No longer crying, his young niece also looked up and seemed to be pointing at the colorful cloth that waved through the air like a beacon of hope for the future.