Rishi Sharma, To
Remember
As seen on WKQM News
6 this morning
Saturday 12/31/2016
Young man on a
mission to honor WW-2 Veterans
AND
To Remember
By Rose
Minutaglio•@RoseMinutaglio
November 17, 2016 at
4:05pm EST
Help Me Interview a
WWII Vet Daily
Hello!
My name is Rishi
Sharma, I am 19 years old and I run a non profit called Heroes of the Second
World War (heroesofthesecondworldwar.org
) .
I am on a mission to
in depth film interview a WWII combat veteran every single day in order to gain their knowledge and wisdom
before it is too late.
These men are my
biggest heroes and my closest friends.
I am
just trying to get a better understanding of what they had to go through
in order for me and so many others to be here today and to get a better
appreciation for how good I have it.
I want them to know
how grateful I am for they had to endure and I am trying to be an outlet for
them to express their recollections and thoughts of their war days in a censor
free environment.
The interviews are
filmed but there is absolutely no commercial
aspect this as I give full rights to the veteran and I burn the DVDs for
them.
12-12-16 / 7:25 AM / SITTING DOWN WITH LIVING HISTORY.
Posted on December 12, 2016
The Osgood File.
This is Charles Osgood.
On the road in
Redondo Beach, California, our CBS News colleague Steve Hartman has met a young
man who has made it his business to learn everything he can about America’s
role in the Second World War…
VO – Steve Hartman,
CBS News Correspondent
“For as long as he
can remember, 19-year-old Rishi Sharma has been fascinated with World War II.
But it wasn’t until recently that he realized this history is still living.”
(:11)
SOT – Rishi Sharma
“There are real
superhero World War II vets out there – and I want to meet them.” (:04)
VO – Steve Hartman
“So in 2014 – as a
junior in high school – Rishi made it his mission.” (:05)
As you’ll hear after
this…
((( BREAK )))
Once again, talking
with Rishi Sharma, here is Steve Hartman…
VO – Steve Hartman
“Rishi doesn’t come
from a military family. His parents emigrated here from India.” (:04)
SOT – Rishi Sharma,
with Steve Hartman
“(Hartman:) You were
skipping school to go interview vets? (Sharma:) Yeah, I started riding my bike
to the local senior home. I interviewed those guys. Then I started driving…”
(:08)
VO – Steve Hartman
“Today, he tries to
meet one a day – drives all over Southern California, searching out every World
War II combat vet he can find.” (:07)
Talk about missions…
SOT – Ernie Eisley
“I had a lot of
missions.” (:01)
VO – Steve Hartman
“…like Marine tank
commander Ernie Eisley.” (:02)
SOT – Ernie Eisley
“They were going to
make a big camp there – attack us at night.” (:04)
VO – Steve Hartman
“Rishi talks to
these guys for hours – then gives the recordings to the families. So far, he
has interviewed more than 210 combat vets. Rishi says we’re losing about 400
World War II vets a day. He can’t talk to them fast enough.” (:14)
NAT – Rishi Sharma,
on phone
“Hi, my name is
Rishi Sharma.” (:02)
VO – Steve Hartman
“In addition to his
daily interview, he calls at least five World War II vets a day – just to thank
them for their service and sacrifice.” (:07)
NAT – Rishi Sharma,
on phone
“(Sharma:) It means
a great deal to me that you were willing to endure all of that, so that I could
be here today. (Vet on the Phone:) Well, thank you very much.” (:08)
VO – Steve Hartman
“Thanking veterans
and preserving their legacies is so important to Rishi, he’s now delaying
college, and expanding his mission across the country.” (:07)
He and Steve Hartman
may be crossing paths…
SOT – Rishi Sharma
“Oh yeah, I’m going
to be on the road for years.” (:02)
The Osgood File.
This is Charles Osgood on the CBS Radio Network.