Moved to tears

Yes well done Tony and Beeb

Isn't it lovely to have such a heart warming story in these days of endless miserable news, Brexit, etc.
I watched it from the start when Dan Walker discovered Tony in that park.
I hope Tony gets official recognition for his dedication and devotion.

When Tony raised his arms to wave at the aircraft overhead just as he did as a child playing in the park, I wept too. What a wonderful man.

Wonderful story, delighted that the fly past happened, all credit to Tony Gould for looking after the Memorial all these years

I echo all the comments on here, such an emotional story, such a lovely man. I hope he had someone to comfort him and understand what he was feeling because of the guilt he has had all his life.

Gabriella, this is the story as I understand it. The elderly gentleman, Tony, was an 8 year old boy when the plane crashed. He has carried guilt for many years because he feels in some way responsible for the deaths of the airmen because the airmen were, he thought, waving at him and his pals, when in fact they were trying to get them out of the way so they could crash land the plane in the park, as the plane had got hit on its return from a raid. It seems that after failing to get the boys to realise, they managed to divert the plane away from the boys to save the boys lives, but this resulted in it crashing into nearby trees. When he was older, he realised what the airmen's waving really meant, i.e., they were trying to get the boys to get out of the way, and has carried the guilt of their deaths with him ever since, feeling it is his fault that they died because he and his pals didn't get out of the way. He created a small memorial to them, and has been tending it for many years, and one day whilst he was tending it, Dan (surname escapes me, who co presents Good morning Britain), was passing by and Tony explained why he was there, and how he would love to be able to afford a flagpole as a fitting memorial for the airmen. Dan took his story to heart and contacted the American airbase and it all happened from there, including a fly past in their honour.
Tony has met relatives of some of the airmen, and they tell him he must not feel guilty, but bless him, he does, and probably will to his dying day. He has requested that his ashes be scattered by the memorial. He views these airmen as family.

Kim19 Dan couldn’t be there because he’s on the way to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief.

I agree Tony should be honoured. Wonderful man.

As well as everything else, look what he has done to sustain Anglo- American relations.
Tony for President!

I was thrilled for Tony but saddened when he talked about the terrible guilt he's carried all these years for being in the park at the wrong time (not his fault!) I do hope that now he can be helped to finally put down that guilt and live the rest of his life without it.

I heard there were around ten thousand people in the park, disgruntled, and I struggled to imagine how they all got in there. We were in Meersbrook as it looked as if it would be the highest point on the flight path. It didn’t disappoint. I haven’t seen that many people in that park since midnight on Millennium New Years Eve. Both emotional, very good natured occasions. I agree Tony Faulds should get an honour. It’s not too much to ask.

I was blubbering. I don't know anyone who wasn't. I think he should be given an award in the queens birthday honours.

If you go to "Dan Walker TV" page on Facebook, there is a post there (you need to scroll down quite a bit to find it - or at least, I did)

"Thank you to everyone involved in this remarkable story. For sharing it, talking about it and turning up. The next step is getting Tony an honour from the Queen. Please like & share this and I’ll use it in the submission ??
#GetTonyAFlypast #RememberTheTen
#GetTonyAnHonour"

It has 53,000 shares already so hopefully it will bear fruit. Tony definitely deserves recognition.

Lovely story have been following it too. well done to Tony for all the years he has looked after his ‘family ‘ and to Dan for bringing it to public attention. This is when you see the British at there best

A lovely thing to do indeed, I too shed a tear and it made me feel proud that this is the sort of thing that we do

I too live in Sheffield and the park is our local one. I am on holiday at present and was so sorry to miss it. My three adult children took all the grandchildren down and have all commented on the amazing atmosphere as over 10,000 people were there. The flypast was amazing apparently. I think most Sheffielders know this story and it will be more widely known after yesterday.

The most heart warming and moving story I have heard in years. (Not easy trying to put eye makeup on with tears streaming down my face!) Tony deserves all the recognition he gets for being so dedicated.

It moved me too and I cried for that 82 year old wee boy 's feeling of guilt and the loss of the airmen . I'm not a hugger but I wanted to wrap my arms around him .

We would have been there if we'd been able to go but had furniture being delivered as it took place - such a wonderful thing for Tony to have done and a fitting tribute to the airmen.

Wonderful and how fitting that so many turned out to witness the event. We will remember them

Such an emotional response to the fly past. Had to leave part way through the programme but was able to see how much Tony was affected .The excited way he was waving his arms was wonderful. Friends I saw yesterday said they were crying when they saw him. So well deserved.

It's a sad story Jane . I'm glad they did this for Tony.

I have followed the story as well and agree with the comments of so many others. It was such a change from the usual fawning on celebrities to see a genuine, lovely man like Tony being honoured for his lifelong ambition to remember those young airmen. Well done BBC and Dan Walker especially, for letting us see something really worthwhile

I’ve followed the story from when Dan first presented it on BBC breakfast. As others have said it’s a shame Dan coukdn’t be there but he is climbing Kilamanjaro for Comic Relief. At the first interview Tony said it was his wish that a fly past could be held on the anniversary of the crash and Dan set things in motion. I doubt if Tony could have accomplished it on his own,

KatyK I believe the plane first got into difficulties over some houses and the pilot saw the green of the park so headed for that to avoid crashing into the houses. As they got closer they could see the children and signalled to them to move out of the way, Tony thought they were waving to them. I think the plane did crash in the park and the memorial is where it crashed. So it was very traumatic for young Tony and he has felt guilty about it ever since. He visits the memorial every day, talks to the men and considers them his family. During the feature yesterday morning every time the presenters said Tony’s name the crowd cheered, it is wonderful that he has received some recognition after his years of devotion.

I witnessed a similar incident in the 50s when an RAF single seater fighter crashed near an army barracks and managed to land in a field rather than than the barracks where hundreds of young soldiers could have died. We watched it from the school as it struggled overhead, obviously in trouble, and exploded as it hit the ground. My father was the RSM at the barracks, so I have a particular reason for gratitude.

A lovely moving story. Someone on the TV this morning said it's an ideal film script but no film could compare with the reality of yesterday - so true.