A community is trying to give back to a hero who served this country by ensuring he gets to live his final days comfortably in the home care facility where he spent the last years with his late wife.
World War II U.S. Army veteran Herb Gordon, 96, has had multiple brushes with death, the latest being in 2017, when he broke his neck while volunteering at a medical center, he told WPBF-TV.
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“They were so certain I was going to die on the operating table, but I had my family here and God listened,” Gordon said of his caretakers at the Atria Senior Living Facility in Lantana, Florida. “And here I am.”
Gordon said the facility staff has been carrying for him ever since he lost his late wife, whom he met when he was 13 and she was 12.
The widower described his life partner as “the most important thing” in his life.
“She still is,” he added. “I am still in love with her now. I’ll be in love with her on the day I die. And when I’m lucky enough to be back with her, I’ll be the happiest guy in the world.”
But due to financial concerns, Gordon may have to leave the facility, which he said drew him in because of the family atmosphere.
“I got the feeling of warmth when I got here. Whereas other places you saw people sitting, having their dinner and it looked like each one was sitting by themselves,” Gordon said. “If you put me in among people that are nice, it makes my life so much better.”
While the Department of Veterans Affairs and social security cover most of his living expenses, Gordon is forced to come up with the money to pay for the 24-hour in-home care for the injuries he sustained in the 2017 accident, causing him to deplete his entire savings.
Now, he’ll have to move away from the only form of support he’s known in the last decade if he can’t come up with alternative methods to pay for his healthcare.
Friends of Gordon’s set up a GoFundMe campaign called “Herbie WW2 Veterans Dying Wish” to help cover the costs. It had raised more than $11,000 of the $35,712 goal as of the weekend.
The funds would cover three months of care, according to the campaign.
“He is beating the odds everyday which shows his strength and willingness to still be on this earth,” the GoFundMe account reads.
To learn more about Gordon’s story or to contribute to his care, click here.
(H/T: WPBF-TV)