Right after their annual Veterans Day parade the Homer American Legion and the VFW from Anchor Point dropped in on veterans living in the long-term care facility in South Peninsula Hospital. The group said they wanted to make sure these vets didn’t feel forgotten.
Members of the American Legion and VFW filled the hallway in long-term care on Veterans Day. They went door to door seeking out the hospital's veteran residents. Don Ridle is Commander of American Legion Post 16.
“They’re gathered throughout this whole floor and we’ve about visited each one of them. It was nice seeing those fellas. What’s surprising about our community is we’ve got a heck of a lot of veterans here. Homer’s got a big population of veterans,” said Ridle.
One of those vets is Hank Wright. He’s 73 and a former resident of the Anchor Point Senior Center. His hair is dyed somewhere between aqua and turquoise green with a smidgen of blue on top in honor of his favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks. He sits in a wheel chair but doesn’t let it slow him down.
“When I first got the chair I was in acute care. They didn’t tell me I couldn’t take the chair out of the hospital. I rolled out the front door and went to Kharacters bar. Next thing I know the respiratory therapist here at the hospital was tapping me on the shoulder saying you’re not supposed to be here,” said Wright.
Wright finished his drink and left with him.
“They took my chair away for three days,” said Wright.
Today Wright is allowed to leave the hospital and he wheels himself down to the bar fairly often. He’s also proud to say this summer he took himself all the way down to the end of the Homer Spit.
Wright was in Kharacters when the Veterans Day parade passed by so he says he took his chair out to join them. He’s a navy veteran.
“I was in the navy for fifteen days. I dislocated my knees on the grinder,” said Wright.
A grinder is an asphalt area where navy recruits do their workouts. Wright says he received an honorable discharge after his injury and he was out but he didn’t want to get out.
Before the Legion and the VFW left the hospital Ridle thanked Wright for his service and said the length of his service doesn’t matter.
“If you’re in any branch of the United States Military and you get hurt in the military, all it takes is one full day, 24 hours. If they discharge you for medical reasons then you are a veteran,” said Ridle.
Wright said he was thankful for the Veterans Day visit. He was an active member of the VFW while in Anchor Point and the day gave him a rare opportunity to see old friends.
As for what Veterans Day means to him:
“It means to honor thy country and love it. And all the guys that died to make me free and to give me a home like this…it’s great,” said Wright.
