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RICHMOND, Cache County — Amanda Nye is trying to find and thank four soldiers she and her 2-year-old son, William, met in a restaurant last week. She anonymously bought them lunch, but what the men did in return is now priceless to her family.
It happened May 12 at L.D.'s Cafe, 39 W. Main St. in Richmond. The restaurant is a place where patriotism is a long-time tradition, owner L.D. Bowcutt said. In fact, Bowcutt has been known to send soldiers on deployment pictures of the food they miss.
The cafe is also the place where little William developed a healthy obsession for American flags.
"I have to pack one of these (flags) with me everywhere I go because he wants to touch ones we can't reach," his mother Amanda said.
She works at the cafe and brought Will in with her last week when she stopped to talk with Bowcutt. Will went crazy when he saw the four soldiers eating lunch.
"I was embarrassed because he wanted to climb on them. And I was like, 'I'm so sorry. He loves flags. Can he touch the flag?'" Amanda recalled. "And the guy picked him up and was like, 'You like that?' He was just really nice."
So as she left, Amanda quietly paid for the soldiers' meals. In return, she was told the next day the men had done something else: They tore off their uniform patches and left them for Will — a gesture that has gone a long way.
"I just wanted to tell them that, that was big; and thank you, because I can't imagine taking off a patch you earned as a part of the military and left them for your son," Amanda said.
"I came home, I'm like, 'Look at this!' And he took off (saying), 'It's my flag! It's my flag!'" she said. "And (he) had a meltdown when I took it away from him."
There's was a perfect gift for a 2-year-old, who just Wednesday had an American flag birthday. But these flags, his mother said, will be framed and cherished.
"He's little. He won't know the significance of it yet, but one day he will. And it's just awesome," Amanda said.
Now, she just wants to get the message out there that she and William are grateful.
Shortly after receiving the gift, Amanda went to the L.D.'s Cafe Facebook page and posted a message, hoping the soldiers could see it there and know how her appreciation. The post has since been shared nearly 200 times.
