97 Year Old Boca Raton WWII Veteran Reunites With Kids He Saved 77 Years Ago
Martin Adler, a 97 year old WWII Veteran, who now lives at Toby & Leon Cooperman Sinai Residences in West Boca has hung on to this black and white photo for 77 years following his service. Adler says he carried this picture around because it’s his one good memory from the war.
Adler is said to not enjoy sharing stories from the war with the exception of the time he saved 3 young kids from the Nazis in Italy when the US liberated the country.
“I noticed baskets big baskets. I said, Vieni fuori, Vieni fuori, which means come out!” said Adler. Adler was preparing to shoot whoever was moving in the baskets. He had his finger on the trigger. He hesitated. In a moment “three little children came out crying, frightened, scared. Then, the mother came screaming out of the house, crying ‘Bambinis, Bambinis’ Adler recalled.
Adler gave the small children chocolate to help calm them down. He then got a photograph with them. He ended up carrying that photograph around for then next 70 years.
In August, Adler was able to travel to Italy and be re-united with the 3 children he saved all those years ago. Of course, since Adler held his fire, those children were all able to grow up and become grandparents and great grandparents themselves. They saw each other for the first time since 1944. Adler, again, gave them chocolates.
