MILWAUKEE — Joe Demler, the Wisconsin born "human skeleton" from World War II passed away recently at the age of 94.
The "human skeleton," Joe Demler, got his nickname after he was a prisoner of war during World War II. When he was rescued, he weighed a mere 70 pounds and came very close to losing his life. According to WTMJ,that was when he coined the phrase "every day is a bonus."
Following his rescue, Demler went on to live a long and healthy life. He raised funds for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flights, and has been an inspiration to many.
In an interview with Time Magazine, Demler talked about what it's like to be involved in the honor flight.
"When you have 80- and 90-year-old men crying as they tell you that this was one of the greatest days of their life, taking part in Honor Flight—well, it makes all the effort that you put into something like this worth it, and then some.”
