Police honor 98-year-old WWII veteran with parade through Burlington

BURLINGTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Burlington City Police Department shut down blocks at a time for a man they say is worth dropping everything to honor.

Sergeant Anthony Baldorossi is a 98-year-old World War II veteran who's spent his entire life in the city.

"She wanted to take him for a ride around town just to see his town one more time," explained Baldorossi's granddaughter, Michelle Smith.

A family friend reached out to the department and within about 24 hours, "We decided to kind of step it up a little bit and make it more of a tribute to him and honor him being one of the last remaining WWII veterans," said Lt. Mike Ekelburg.

Police coordinated something of a parade, making stops at the church Baldorossi has attended his entire life, the bandstand he helped build, and city hall where the community welcomed him to the WWII memorial.

"He actually said to me, 'You know I often wondered why they never honored me before,'" said Joanne McCann, Baldorossi's daughter.

There was one more stop; to see the veteran's wife, Ann. Before he got sick, Baldorossi used to go to see her gravestone every day.

"That was very emotional. I kept telling her she should have been here with me," said Baldorossi.