SouthernWorldwide.com – Denver Broncos offensive lineman Garett Bolles recently had a profound experience connecting with veterans, reflecting on the concept of brotherhood and sacrifice as Memorial Day weekend approached.
Bolles, a First-team All-Pro, partnered with USAA in Colorado Springs for an event that brought together over 50 local veterans. These veterans are preparing to travel with the Honor Flight of Southern Colorado to Washington, D.C., to visit national monuments.
The occasion held particular significance for Bolles, as his grandfather, a Korean War veteran, passed away earlier this year. This Memorial Day weekend would have been his first without his grandfather.
During the event, Bolles engaged with veterans from the Vietnam and Korean Wars, listening to their personal stories and honoring their service. He emphasized the deep respect he holds for those who have served.
“I told every single one of them as I shook their hand that they’re the real heroes,” Bolles stated. “I just wear a helmet and a jersey and they cheer me on, but those are the people that really make a difference in our world.”
He continued to articulate the immense gratitude he feels for the sacrifices made by military personnel. “Those men and women literally risk their lives on a regular basis just to make us safer back at home and to allow us to live in a free country,” he added.
Bolles, who describes himself as a history enthusiast, expressed his fascination with the stories behind the wars the United States has endured. His interest stems not from the conflicts themselves, but from the human narratives and experiences within them.
“Not because of what took place, but because of the stories and the fascinating things behind the wars that we’ve endured, come through, and gone through in the United States military,” Bolles explained.
The offensive lineman, standing at 6’5″ and weighing 300 pounds, revealed that he once aspired to be a Navy SEAL. This personal connection to military aspirations made the opportunity to meet veterans face-to-face particularly meaningful.
He shared his emotional response to connecting with the veterans on a personal level. “What’s so neat is when you get to talk to these people, and you get to open them up, and you ask them about their families, you ask them about their better half, their wife, these people are real,” he recalled.
Bolles highlighted the resilience and diverse backgrounds of many service members. “These people are real people with real stories, real backgrounds, and real battle scars. These people are not just some Joe Schmo. A lot of them come from broken families. A lot come from single parents. A lot grew up in foster care…”
He stressed the fundamental role veterans play in the freedoms enjoyed by Americans today. “These people are part of our history. These people are part of who we are and how we can wake up every day and see blue skies and sun and trees and a house,” Bolles said. “We get to drive a car to work. All these things we get to do are because of the people who sacrificed their lives for us.”
The importance of remembering these sacrifices was a central theme. “Without those people, we would not be able to go to school. We wouldn’t be able to be free. We wouldn’t be able to eat what we want, when we want, how we want, or talk how we want,” he elaborated.
Bolles urged a renewed focus on the significance of Memorial Day amidst the complexities of modern life. “There’s so much toxic stuff in this world right now that we really need to understand the importance of Memorial Day,” he emphasized.
“We live in a country where people bled for us and died for us, and we need to be grateful for the small and simple things because we’ve lost track of what’s important,” Bolles added.
The encounter with veterans provided Bolles with significant motivation, especially as he reflects on his recent career achievements. Last season marked his first First-team All-Pro selection after nine years in the league.
He also looked back on the previous season’s AFC Championship game, where the Broncos fell short. Despite the team’s efforts, injuries and challenging weather conditions played a role, though Bolles acknowledged they ultimately “just came up short.”
Having experienced seven consecutive losing seasons at the start of his career, Bolles is now eager for sustained success. He expressed being “super hungry” for the team to achieve its full potential.
Bolles spoke about the unique chemistry within the Broncos’ locker room. He believes this strong bond is crucial for winning and expressed caution about disrupting it through personnel changes.
“There’s a reason why we didn’t bring certain people in during free agency when every single person wanted to freak out and say, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s because we have a special locker room,” Bolles explained. “It has nothing to do with needing key pieces. We just have a special locker room with special people in there, and when you bring the wrong guys in, it destroys that and becomes a toxic environment.”
He further elaborated on the importance of a positive team culture. “You can’t win football games in a toxic environment. Trust me — I’ve done seven years of that,” he said, referencing his earlier career struggles.
Bolles conveyed his strong confidence in the current Broncos roster and leadership. “The Denver Broncos are full of winners. They’re full of dogs. We have a culture that’s really hard to beat,” he stated.
He also highlighted the team’s commitment to excellence, including their new facility and world-class training center. “There are so many other teams around the country that want to see what we do and how we do it — how we train, how we take care of our bodies,” Bolles noted.
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“Our owners are unbelievable, we have the best GM in football, we have the best head coach, we have the best coaches under his staff,” he continued. “I’m just grateful to be a Denver Bronco, and I’m excited for this upcoming season.”
