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At 104 years old, World War II veteran Dominick Critelli sat near the boards at UBS Arena and performed the Star-Spangled Banner on his saxophone, bringing thousands to their feet and reminding a noisy culture what reverence looks like in real time. The performance took place on December 27, 2025 and was a simple, powerful act of patriotism that the arena and the nation needed.
Critelli is no ordinary performer — he’s a decorated Army staff sergeant who survived some of the darkest battles of the 20th century, including Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, with 151 days in combat under his belt. His story is stamped with valor: multiple campaign medals and Bronze Stars earned in service to a country he chose and cherished.
When his long, sustained final note faded, the crowd erupted in chants of “USA” and delivered a standing ovation, a spontaneous moment of unity that put politics aside for a beat. Critelli saluted the fans and, in that instant, showed younger Americans what gratitude and humility look like when directed toward those who defended their freedom.
This proud veteran was also recently honored by France for his role in liberating Europe, having been appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honor by French President Emmanuel Macron — a foreign nation recognizing what too many at home take for granted. It’s fitting that allies remember our heroes; Americans should do the same, loudly and without apology.
Look, the left’s contempt for symbols of national unity has been on full display for years, from kneeling protestors to casual disrespect in public life. Dominick Critelli’s simple, stirring performance is a corrective: ordinary citizens and people of faith still believe in flag, country, and sacrifice, and they deserve our admiration, not derision from woke elites.
Critelli himself says music keeps him young — he practices almost every day and has been playing since he was a teenager, a reminder that discipline and purpose sustain a life. Veterans like him built the America we enjoy, and their example should spur us to teach our children respect, service, and gratitude for the freedoms they defended.
Hardworking Americans should take the moment to honor Dominick Critelli and the millions like him who put their lives on the line for liberty. If we want to preserve this nation, we start by listening to our veterans, standing for our anthem, and defending the values they fought to secure — because freedom is not earned by slogans, it’s earned by service.
