Viewers of the pregame festivities of this past Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX were privileged to watch a flyover of two squadrons of U.S. Marine Corp V-22 Ospreys during the National Anthem.

The vertical stabilizers on the Ospreys were painted by various artists including one featuring the artwork of Allen High School graduate Robert Harrell. Robert and his family now live in Jacksonville, North Carolina where he formerly worked as a firefighter/paramedic at Camp Lejeune.

Robert was recently asked what he wanted to be known for, he replied “I want to be remembered as a godly man, a good husband, father, grandfather, friend, mentor, and I want my art to be remembered in history. Then it came over me like a ton of bricks, and I began to cry, because how many countless lives have I taken care of throughout my career as a firefighter/paramedic/ RN. They will remember me as something totally different, they just remember me as a helping hand during the most horrific time in their lives.

“I did the math a while back, I worked so many days per year, so many calls per day on average, and was blown away that I have taken care of over 10,000 patients throughout my career. What a blessing that I was used as a tool for God.

“I always dreamed of living an amazing life and I think I have done that! I just didn’t know how amazing it was going to be.

“So, if you watched the Super Bowl and you heard the National Anthem and seen my artwork on the V-22 Osprey as it flew over New Orleans, that just like every other veteran, I did it for God, my country, and family and we would gladly do it all over again. God Bless America!”