When I was little, my parents instilled in me the value of respecting others. They understood the need to show respect in particular situations, so I grew up with the same sense of purpose.

That’s why the photo of a US soldier standing at attention in the pouring rain affected me. The photographer realized they had to share the shot with the world, and I’m glad they did.

The photo quickly went viral, as expected, with people clamoring to pay respect to the soldier.

After his identification, his words truly reflected his character.

The date was July 6, 2017. Erin Hester was sitting at a junction on a highway near Vine Grove, Kentucky.

She noticed a soldier standing at attention outside in the pouring rain. She stared at him for a while, perplexed, before realizing a funeral procession was passing by. He was saluting, despite the fact that he was not in the procession and knew nothing about the deceased.

Hester knew she had to photograph the occasion. Hester shared her photo on social media, receiving positive feedback.

Hester posted on Facebook, “I was completely moved by this today. A funeral procession passed by, and this soldier stepped out of his vehicle to stand at attention in the pouring rain. I’m always angry when automobiles don’t pull over and stop for a procession, but this gentleman went above and beyond.

“I’m very convinced that there is no military rule that requires soldiers to do this. This made my heart happy to see how much respect this gentleman showed a family he knew nothing about. #values, #respect.”

Soldier identified.

After her tweet went viral, I tracked down the soldier who performed the touching act. Col. Jack L. Usrey, Senior Army Advisor for the Tennessee Army National Guard, recognized him.

He declined to take the plaudits, claiming, “I also owe everything to my parents, Jim and Judy Usrey of Martin, Tennessee. They trained me to do this since I could remember.

“I am humbled and amazed by the response to such a modest gesture. My initial thoughts were about how the awful weather couldn’t be improving the family’s mood, and I hoped my tiny gesture would show them we cared.”

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