Children, adults, veterans – no matter age or occupation, getting the gift you asked for at Christmas is enough to fill anyone with joy. Harriet Simmons, a resident of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, was among the 11 veterans included on the Military Wishes 2015 list from The Grand Rapids Press. Michigan Live reported that Simmons asked for a five-disc CD changer so she could listen to her favorite music for longer without having to move in her wheelchair.
Tiffany Carr, the home's director of community relations, told MLive that 25 people responded to Simmons' wish. But that wasn't all. More than 80 people telephoned Carr in the weeks after the list was published on Thanksgiving Day. Within a short time, every veteran's request was fulfilled.
One of the West Michigan community members, Rick Mead, saw the list and brought it to his daughter Moleigh Hardy's attention. Hardy called Carr and made sure that the five remaining veterans whose wishes had not yet been answered were taken care of.
"I'm humbled and honored because of these veterans," Mead told MLive.
On Monday, Dec. 21, the veterans received their gifts. They were overjoyed to see tablets, laptops and, for one veteran disabled by a stroke, the technology necessary to help him communicate once again. These gifts were meant to help the former servicemembers keep in touch with their friends and families, some of whom live far away.
"I'm very grateful," said James Jennings, an Air Force veteran who received a laptop. "(It will) make it easier to keep in contact."
Elsewhere in the country, a veteran saw a slightly bigger present. According to My Suburban Life, one lucky veteran was gifted a two-bedroom condo that was just recently renovated by the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
Alma Vega, manager of the furniture store which helped to furnish the condo, said that "We wanted to help as much as we could, and it's a feeling you can't explain when you help someone you don't even know."