Justin Turner began his morning being honored by the City of Los Angeles, as Jan. 22, 2019, was proclaimed Justin Turner Day. The Dodgers third baseman received the honor in recognition of his contributions to the community.
Less than one hour after the special ceremony at City Hall, Turner lived up o his reputation. He made his way to Dodger Stadium to help the team host their first-ever military enlistment day.
The on-field event was held for 39 first-time enlistments, three re-enlistments, and their family. Turner greeted each service member and offered words of support and encouragement in a heartfelt speech.
“It’s been a pretty special day,” Turner said. “Starting off at City Hall, the council members there declaring it Justin Turner Day, and then coming over here to help swear in these young men and women who are making a commitment to fight for our freedom and defend our country. I’m honored to be a part of it.
“I was pretty nervous. I’ve never served. I didn’t have the commitment or courage to do that, so for me to be a person speaking on their enlistment day, I don’t know if it was necessarily right but I just wanted to make sure I thanked them for the first step that they’re taking into defending our country.
“Tell them we love them, support them, to be safe and we’re always thinking about them. We owe everything to them for what we have. I wanted to wish them the best of luck on their journey.”
While Turner attended the ceremony to make it all the more memorable for those enlisting, the Dodgers were sure to recognize his efforts in the community by playing a two-minute video that highlighted Turner’s charitable efforts.
Appreciative of the moment and day as a whole, Turner was all the more touched that his wife, Kourtney, was equally recognized. “We just want to go out and try to serve the community and impact as many lives as we can. Stepping back and getting an opportunity to reflect on some of that stuff and hear the nice things that the council members were saying, was pretty cool,” he said.
“Even more special for my wife. She doesn’t get a lot of credit for a lot of the things that we do. It was cool for her to get recognized by all the council members. It’s something she definitely deserves, because she’s a big part of everything.”
After being sworn in and hearing from Turner, the military members and their family enjoyed a catered lunch and were provided with an opportunity to take a photograph with the All-Star.
“You see all their family members out here supporting them and the decision that they’re making to put their lives on the line to fight for our freedoms and defend the country. It’s a huge commitment, it takes a huge level of courage, it’s a huge sacrifice. Hopefully they know that we all love them for that,” Turner said.
