KEARNEY, Neb. - At the 40th and final Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion, stories of sacrifice and survival took center stage.

More than 500 Vietnam veterans and their families gathered this week in Kearney for one last official reunion.

On Friday attendees shared meals, memories and a sense of connection which many veterans say is what matters most.

Among those in attendance was Diddly Bertrand, who lost both of his legs in combat. He says events like this one are a powerful reminder of everything that was sacrificed all those years ago.

“When I got hurt I was just so glad to get the hell out, I was the lucky one because my buddy that was right there is missing a third of his brain, and my other buddy is dead. So how could you not make the best out of that deal?” said Bertrand.

Bertrand’s journey is featured in an amazon prime documentary called "Vietnam War Miracle," which was screened for the crowd Friday night.

He says reconnecting with fellow soldiers and being able to open up about painful memories has helped him adjust to life back in Nebraska.

For others, healing has come through a different kind of storytelling.

A veterans' writing group based out of Lincoln is helping former service members put decades of silent struggle into words.

What started as a VA-sponsored therapy group has now grown into a community that publishes anthologies, hosts workshops and meets regularly both in person and over Zoom.

“Our group basically tries to help people out and encourage all veterans to write, especially those who need to pass something on to their kids, to tell them what it is they experienced and how it affected them," said Rex Walton.

As the official Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion comes to a close, the veterans believe the friendships, the memories and storytelling won’t stop anytime soon.