Ten Years Later, Teacher Finally Gets to Shave Off His "Bin Laden Beard"

Man, this guy is a hardcore American patriot.

This puts your little Stanley Cup playoff beard to shame. Although I'm not sure I could tolerate that thing on my face for an entire decade.

It looks kinda itchy.

Ephrata Middle School teacher Gary Weddle went 3,454 days—nearly 10 years—without shaving his beard. That is until Sunday, when it was announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. Forces in Pakistan. Weddle finally shaved his beard on Monday.

After watching the events of September 11, 2001 unfold on live television, Weddle vowed not to shave his beard until bin Laden had been captured or killed. At the time Weddle was a substitute teacher, who spent days watching coverage of the attacks on television.

Weddle hoped he would teach his science students a lesson about solidarity and standing in support of the United States Military and American freedoms.

Nearly 10 years later, Ephrata Middle School Principal, Jill Palmquist, honored Weddle in a school assembly Monday, for doing just that.

"Thank you for your dedication, steadfastness and determination to follow through," Palmquist said. "You are among the most dedicated, faithful and patriotic Americans we will ever have the privilege of saying that we knew."

h/t: @brittneyboop.

Cross-posted.