Hometown hero receives retirement parade celebration

After 33 years of service in the Air Force, Mike Zimmerman of Niagara Falls is retiring.

His celebration plans were canceled due to COVID-19, but his family found a way to show their love.

MOST OF IT IS FREEYOU JUST NEED TOCALL.ALL THOSE NUMBERSARE ON OUR WEBSITEFOR YOU RIGHT NOWW-K-B-W-DOT-COM-SLASH-REBOUNDMC, 7EWN.A COMMUNITY CAMEOUT TO SHOW THEIRSUPPORT FOR A MANAND HIS 33 YEARS OFSERVICE.TAYLOR EPPS SHOWSUS THIS VERY SPECIALTHANK YOU.33 YEARS OFSERVICE...A LEADER INTHE COMMUNITY..LIESEL PHONER "HE'SALWAYS BEEN MYHERO.

NOT ONLYBECAUSE OF HIS JOB,BUT IN MY LIFE ASWELL."CHIEF MASTERSERGEANT MIKEZIMMERMAN OFNIAGARA FALLS HASDEVOTED HIS LIFEWORKING FOROTHERS..BUT THIS ISALL FOR HIM.JOANNE "NEIGHBORSARE LINING UP IN THESTREET.

WE HAVEMUSIC GOING, PLAYINGSOME OF THE AIRFORCE SONGS FOR HIMAS WELL."ZIMMERMAN ISOFFICIALLY RETIRINGFROM THE AIR FORCE.HE SPENT MOST OFHIS CAREER HERE ATTHE 914TH.USUALLY, THISMILESTONE MEANS ABIGSENDOFF...INCLUDINGFLIGHTS AROUND THEWORLD ANDCELEBRATIONS TOHONOR THISHOMETOWN HERO,BUT THAT CAN'THAPPEN.JOANNE "THEYCANCELLED BECAUSEOF THE COVID, SOUNFORTUNATELY, HEHASN'T BEEN ABLE TOSAY GOODBYE TOANYBODY OR HAVE THENORMAL CEREMONIESTHAT YOU DO AT THEEND OF YOUR CAREER."HIS WIFE SAYS HEWASN'T EXPECTINGANYTHING...BUT HE DROVE OUT OFTHE NIAGARA FALLSAIR RESERVE STATIONTHURSDAY TO ASURPRISE PARADE.JOANNE "WE WEREJUST TRYING TO THINKOF A WAY TO HONORHIM AND SHOW HIM HISSERVICE REALLYMATTERED.

WE'REMAKING THE BEST OFIT."LIESEL "HE SERVEDSELFLESSLY AND HASKIND OF BEEN A REALLYGREAT EXAMPLE OF ASERVANT LEADER MYWHOLE LIFE AND ITWAS JUST A JOY FORUS TO CELEBRATE HIMAND GIVE HIM THERETIREMENTCELEBRATION THAT HEDESERVES."DESPITE THE RAIN,ZIMMERMAN WASWELCOMED BYNEIGHBORS ANDLOVED ONES.LIESEL PHONER "I JUSTHOPE HE'S ABLE TOTAKE TIME TO RELAXAND ENJOY ANDCONTINUE TO DO THETHINGS THAT MAKE HIMHAPPY.IT WAS A CHANGE OFPLANS, BUTZIMMERMAN WAS ABLETO CELEBRATE HISREITREMENT IN THEBEST WAYPOSSIBLE..SURROUNDED BY FAMILY.IN NIAGARA FALLS