Marine Corey Jones could not handle the thought of allowing an 89-year-old veteran live out his days alone, so he did something about it – he opened up his own home and invited the man to come and live with his family.
Navy Veteran Art Quick first bumped into Jones and his six-year-old daughter Malia at the Family Golf Center in Antioch, Tennessee. The group hit it off as Art coached the pair on their swings.
“What do I do at the golf course? I teach,” Art said, as reported by WSMV 4. He can be found up on the driving range most days, offering tips to help people develop their game.
In passing conversation, he mentioned to Jones that he had been living in various different motels since the last of his relatives passed away.
“My whole family has passed away,” he explained. “They’re all gone.”
Jones was shocked. How could this man who gave so much to defend his country be left to fend for himself like this? Corey immediately asked the veteran if he would like to move in with him and Malia. “I couldn’t imagine being alone, especially at the point he’s at in his life,” he said.
For Jones, family is about so much more than sharing the same blood – it is about being kind and looking out for each other. Plus, as a military man himself, Corey and Art share an innate bond that binds them together as brothers.
“I don’t think family is all tied with bloodlines,” Jones told WSMV. “It’s the people who take care of one another, that’s family. He’s Navy, and I’m a Marine. That’s a close brotherhood there.”
“He let me stay here and be a part of the family,” explained Quick, who is seen hanging out with the pair in their living room and watching some TV. Of course, the golf is always on.
By complete chance and via a shared love for sports, these guys seem as if they have known each other for their entire lives. As they settle into their house together, this mismatched group teaches us that if we make an active effort to help each other out, truly incredible things can happen.