“As a veteran, I believe that once you serve, you continue to serve.” This credo has guided Eric Horn for so much of his life. He had a career of service comprised of 20 years with the Army National Guard (with two deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan) and a career as an Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy. A chance meeting over seven years ago provided an opportunity for him to put this closely held belief into action for patients of our Hospice.
“Michele Devlin and Pennie Gorney came to the Veterans Association at Le Moyne College to discuss their Veteran Volunteer Program. They had packets intended to honor the service of veterans in Hospice care, which were being delivered by Hospice nurses. They felt it would be more meaningful if the packets were delivered by other veterans. I’ve always felt that once you serve, you may not be active duty, but you keep serving. I didn’t see how I could turn down a request like this.”
With that, Eric began his journey of outreach to veterans in Hospice care. When called, Eric visits a veteran wherever they may be, talks for a while, and brings them a packet of varied items. Some of the items in the veteran’s packet are practical – such as forms and other information for family members, but others are items of respect and thankfulness. The item that moves Eric the most, as well as many of the veterans he visits, is a white star on a blue field, cut from a flag that once flew over our nation.
He’s noted how some of the veterans truly get emotional at the encounter. “I meet people who are incredibly humble, who don’t talk about what they’ve done.
Some people have felt that they didn’t deserve the recognition because they may not have served in a capacity where they were necessarily placed in harm’s way. I can bring some people some comfort and acknowledge the value of their service.”
Eric knows that frequently it is the family members who are the most moved by his presence. “They are welcoming, but oftentimes, the veteran isn’t even thinking about their deployment at this stage of their life. I am there more for their family who get to see their loved one recognized in this way. The vet may be humble, but the family gets to feel that pride.”
What qualities does someone need to do this sort of volunteering? Eric observes, “You need to be comfortable talking with people who know they are dying. People think it’s difficult, and it can be, but almost none of the people I visit with are sad. They’ve accepted their end, and for most of them, death isn’t something they fear. You may not always walk out happy, but you always walk out knowing you did something that mattered.”
“I hope that it will help me to be able to have more grace in my own passing.”
We are always looking for volunteers for the Veteran Volunteer Program, as well as others. For more information on volunteering, contact the volunteer office at 315-634-1100
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