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13-year-old travels across the US to honor fallen soldiers — what he's done is incredible
Thirteen-year-old Preston Sharp is still placing flags and flowers on veterans graves across the country. On Saturday, he visited New York, the 22nd state he's visited so far on his goodwill tour. (Image source: WLNY-TV video screenshot)

13-year-old travels across the US to honor fallen soldiers — what he's done is incredible

Thirteen-year-old Preston Sharp is doing something quite special to honor fallen United States servicemen, according to WLNY-TV.

What is he doing?

Preston is traveling across the U.S., hitting each state, in order to put American flags and flowers on the graves of fallen veterans.

"I'm just trying to give back to all veterans," Preston said. "They worked so hard, they went through so much training. And I'm just trying to give some of that back."

Preston, who has his own web page to promote his nonprofit organization, Veteran Flowers and Flags, was inspired in 2015 after he visited his grandfather's grave and took note of the lack of adornments on the surrounding vets' graves.

"I got really frustrated that our veterans weren't [sic] be honored on Veterans Day," he said. "My mom taught me if you see something wrong, do something about it, don't complain about it."

The Redding, California, native visited Brooklyn, New York's Cypress Hill National Cemetery on Saturday. New York is the 22nd state he's visited so far on his goodwill tour.

Preston, who has partnered with various veterans groups and first responders from across the U.S., has placed at least over 180,000 flags on the graves of U.S. veterans.

He plans to complete all 50 states by Veterans Day 2019.

Anything else?

Preston even received accolades from President Donald Trump during Trump's 2018 State of the Union address on Jan. 30.

During the address, Trump acknowledged Preston's actions and said, "Here tonight is Preston Sharp, a 12-year-old boy from Redding, California, who noticed that veterans' graves were not marked with flags on Veterans Day. He decided all by himself to change that and started a movement that has now placed 40,000 flags at the graves of our great heroes. Preston, a job well done."

"Young patriots like Preston teach all of us about our civic duty as Americans, and I met Preston a little while ago, and he is something very special, that I can tell you. Great future. Thank you for all that you've done, Preston," he added.

Preston, who was one of the president's guests at the address, said that his "experience was amazing and it was such an honor to be there and meet the president and the vice president."

Preston's family operates a GoFundMe page where people can donate to the teen's cause.

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