Middle school teammates and local veterans reunited after news story in 2022

By Jatara McGee

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    CINCINNATI, Ohio (WLWT) — Two local veterans who are former middle school teammates are sharing their story of a rekindled friendship. It led to a bond between men that feels more like a brotherhood.

In January 2022, WLWT featured a story on Harock Lockett, a local Vietnam veteran who reconnected with a long-lost buddy he served with in Vietnam.

Ron Saylor, who is also a Vietnam veteran, was watching TV that night and saw the story.

“I mentioned to my wife that I know that guy. I know that I know him,” Saylor said.

A few days later, he mentioned the story to his veterans support group.

Maurice Thomas, a local veteran who served in the Marines, is part of the group and said he lived close to the address Saylor found for Lockett. The next day, Thomas knocked on Lockett’s door.

“I said he remembered seeing you on television, and he says he thinks he knows you from high school,” Thomas said.

He also asked Lockett if he was known as “Flash” during his high school days. When Lockett said yes, he confirmed he was who Saylor thought he was.

The two talked on the phone and immediately reconnected. They were teammates for middle school football and basketball at Hughes during the 1962-63 school year. In high school, they were rivals. Lockett continued to play for Hughes, and Saylor played for Western Hills.

“Harold ran four touchdowns against us, but the final score was 38-36 us,” Saylor said with a big grin, recalling the game his junior year. “If Harold got around the corner, oh goodness gracious. There was no one going to catch him. He ran so fast because he didn’t like to get tackled!”

Lockett and Saylor reconnected in 2022, 57 years after they had last seen each other. They, along with Thomas, have built a strong bond over the last year and change.

“When I contacted Harold, Harold was in such a place, and I saw myself,” Saylor said. ” I never had anyone to talk to.”

“It took me a while to come to the meeting. Now I go there two or three times a week. These guys are, they’re all I got,” Lockett said. “You don’t even know that there’s help for you. You think you’re all alone.”

All three men are now part of the same veterans’ support group and lean on each other as they heal from what they experienced many decades ago.

Thomas said he was an alcoholic and support groups he’s been a part of helped him through dark days.

Saylor said he tried to keep himself busy with life and kids before another veteran finally got him to seek help in 2017.

Lockett said he tried to cover the trauma and pain by burying it for a few days and taking care of other people instead of himself.

Now, “I made a conscious decision to look out for me,” he said. “By me talking, this is what unfolded.”

“I am sure that this bond, this relationship, this friendship will continue until we leave this earth,” Saylor said.

All three men encourage veterans who need help and want to “face the demons” to call the VA or find a support group because help is available.

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