RKYHS students heard from Pastor Chris Edmonds, who shared his father’s inspiring story of bravery and heroism. In January, 1945, Pastor Edmonds father, Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, was the senior officer among thousands of captured US troops that had been captured after the Battle of the Bulge. Master Sergeant Edmonds was asked to turn over the hundreds of American-Jewish soldiers under his command in the German prisoner of war camp or risk being shot by the Nazi the guards. In one of the great acts of collective and individual courage of the 20th century, Edmonds and all his men, regardless of their faith, reported before the Nazi commander that “We are all Jews.”

Edmonds’ actions were recognized by Yad Vashem with its “Righteous Among the Nations” award. Students were riveted as Pastor Edmonds recounted this story of true courage and the way acts of courage and kindness, even opportunities that one may have every day, may reverberate for generations.