Broncos All-Pro Garett Bolles Honors Veterans Before Memorial Day Honor Flight

Garett Bolles couldn’t help but think about his late grandfather, Ralph, while meeting a group of veterans last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ralph, a Korean War Army veteran, died about two months ago. He passed on the value of military sacrifice to his grandson, Bolles, the Denver Broncos’ All-Pro left tackle, who, in turn, is passing it on to his children.

It’s the type of patriotic passion that motivates Bolles to spend time with veterans, hearing their stories and saying, “Thank you for your service.”

“We, as American people, are blessed in so many ways,” Bolles told Military.com in an exclusive interview. “I mean, that’s just the truth. We all have stories, we all have a background, we all have passion for each other, we all have passion for this wonderful country.

“But this Memorial Day, every Memorial Day, has really made me realize what truly is important in life, and those are the people that fight for our freedoms every day—and the love that we have for one another.”

He added that he’s “beyond grateful” to spend time with the United Services Automobile Association, or USAA, which offers insurance and banking to military service members.

“They’re an organization that truly blesses people’s lives, day in and day out,” Bolles said. “They change people’s lives, and they do it out of their own hearts. They don’t do it to look at me; they do it under the radar, and they only help people who are in need.

“To be a part of a company like that, to be a partnership, is just truly a blessing for me and my wife and children.”

Bolles Connection

The Korean War and Vietnam War veterans were pleasantly surprised to see the hulking 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman as they plan a special trip to Washington, D.C. with Honor Flight of Southern Colorado on Memorial Day weekend. Bolles was there honoring his commitment to USAA and veterans.

In an exclusive interview with Military.com, the 10-year NFL veteran shared why he was moved by the experience of meeting with veterans and listening to their unique stories.

When Bolles heard about the opportunity to chat with Vietnam and Korean War veterans, some in their eighties and nineties, he didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation.

“I jumped right up on it because A: my grandpa served in the Korean War, and B: why not go spend time with some guys that are a little cranky on the outside, which some of them are, but when you get to know them and talk with them, they’re like the sweetest, kindest people in the world,” Bolles said.

Honoring Grandpa Ralph

He believes his late grandfather wouldn’t have wanted him anywhere else, honoring veterans and lifting their spirits before their trip to visit historic monuments in D.C., along with solemn memorials like the Vietnam wall and Arlington National Cemetery.

“I was also able to share my story about my grandpa, who passed away about two months ago,” Bolles said. “Many of them saluted me, which I felt like that’s just what they do. I understand they were saluting my grandpa, but it was so cool to watch that and just to watch them embrace my grandpa, embrace me.”

After Bolles’ grandfather died, he received a full military funeral. Watching a military member present the burial flag to his grandmother had a profound impact on Bolles and his family.

“That was such a neat experience for my young kids and me to see that,” Bolles said. “To be able to show the passion of our flag and the wonderful people that serve our country that go unnoticed, right? Some stories we hear about, but some go untold. Wars are like chess, right? You have to navigate a certain way and follow certain guidelines to be able to get what we need to do to protect this world. And sometimes terrible things happen and then sometimes amazing things happen, but we don’t always hear about the terrible things all the time.”

Bolles smiled, seeing how excited the Southern Colorado veterans were to take the Honor Flight, many of whom will be making their first trip to D.C. The Broncos’ star also praised USAA for making sure the aging veterans have everything they need for a safe trip.

“It’s like, ‘Hey, you need oxygen on the flight, you need this type of food, or you’re a diabetic, we need to make sure we feed you this,’ it was so fascinating how they took care of all the small and simple details, but that’s how USAA is,” Bolles said.

The Importance of Giving Back

Many of the veterans wanted to talk football with Bolles, especially coming off Denver’s successful and somewhat unexpected 14-3 season. The Broncos marched to an AFC West Division title and advanced to the conference championship game before falling to the New England Patriots, one step shy of the Super Bowl.

“I just wanted them to know; I’m here for you all. You guys are the real heroes in this world. I just put on a helmet and a jersey. You guys actually go out there and take care of business the way that you were trained to do and you put your lives on the line for us, just so that I can go to school every day, just so I can play football, and I can eat dinner with my family,” Bolles said. “That’s like the most unselfish thing you can do in the entire world, to put your own body on the line for other people. I’m just beyond grateful, and I want those people to realize that I love them, I care for them, and I want nothing but the best for them.”

Besides serving veterans, Bolles is very civically minded and enjoys giving back to communities in Colorado. He’s been named the Broncos’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the NFL’s highest honor for community service, twice since being drafted in 2017.

While the physical and mental rigors of playing professional football, raising a family, and providing his time to causes can be challenging, Bolles believes giving back to others pushes him to succeed on the gridiron.

“I play better when I serve. I play better when I give my time outside of the building, because it helps me realize how important life truly is,” Bolles said. “Football’s just a game, bro. I mean, it really is. Yeah, we’re entertainers, and everyone thinks it’s their life when a team loses, the whole week is ruined and I have passion for those fans because I’m thankful for those fans, but I also get a little laugh because it’s like their whole week is ruined because we lost the football game, but there’s people dying overseas that are wearing our American flag. I can always find time to go serve because my mom always taught me, love God, love people.”

Through his philanthropic work, Bolles is setting an example for other NFL players and his impressionable children who look up to their dad, literally and figuratively.

“(It’s about) showing my kids that hard work, getting to the NFL, I want them to understand that Dad works hard, but also I want them to understand that Dad gives back to the community and that’s what makes me who I am,” Bolles said. “I love the people that I protect on and off the field. I feel like that’s just my duty. When you play left tackle, you protect your quarterback and not only that, but I feel like it’s also my passion to protect the community. Whatever I can do, if it’s military veterans, if it’s homeless people … people that are locked up, kids with learning disabilities, everyone has a story, everyone has a background, and it’s up to us that are in the communities to wake up and to serve and to find those people that are in need.”

Grandpa Ralph would be proud.