Hospice Dreams brings vet's last wish to life
Updated: November 13, 2012
DECATUR -- A veteran is using his last wish to honor fellow service members. It's all through a program like "Make-a-Wish," but it's for adults in hospice care. WCIA-3's Ashley Michels shares his dream.
Joe Goodrich served in the Korean War. All he wanted was to pay tribute to his comrades, but by the end of the day, he was the honoree.
"Sometimes, at that stage of life, people want a little bit more simple things. Dinners with their family, to hold a kitten one last time."
But Goodrich wanted something a little different. All he asked for from Hospice Dreams was a trip to the Korean War Memorial in Springfield.
"We went over there and saw some of the men that I associated with while I was overseas."
He served in the Airborne Infantry and says it was tough to visit the site.
"Those other guys didn't even come back."
"I think it was really special for him to be able to spend time there and paying his respects."
So the wish-granting foundation didn't want Joe's big day to stop there.
"We said, 'how about the Lincoln Museum?' And he said, 'yeah, sounds great!'"
They made him the day's guest of honor.
"I didn't feel it was an honor."
But, to the people here, it was. He got a personal behind-the-scenes tour of the museum and even cued the start of its popular ghost show.
"Oh, I liked it. It was a good show."
A simple way to make a local veteran's dreams come true and say thank you for his service.
"Dreams are ageless and people need to remember that people have dreams whether they're a child or whether they're an adult."
Hospice Dreams grants more than 100 wishes each year. As for the Lincoln Museum, this was the third time it's been asked to host such a guest.
Joe Goodrich served in the Korean War. All he wanted was to pay tribute to his comrades, but by the end of the day, he was the honoree.
"Sometimes, at that stage of life, people want a little bit more simple things. Dinners with their family, to hold a kitten one last time."
But Goodrich wanted something a little different. All he asked for from Hospice Dreams was a trip to the Korean War Memorial in Springfield.
"We went over there and saw some of the men that I associated with while I was overseas."
He served in the Airborne Infantry and says it was tough to visit the site.
"Those other guys didn't even come back."
"I think it was really special for him to be able to spend time there and paying his respects."
So the wish-granting foundation didn't want Joe's big day to stop there.
"We said, 'how about the Lincoln Museum?' And he said, 'yeah, sounds great!'"
They made him the day's guest of honor.
"I didn't feel it was an honor."
But, to the people here, it was. He got a personal behind-the-scenes tour of the museum and even cued the start of its popular ghost show.
"Oh, I liked it. It was a good show."
A simple way to make a local veteran's dreams come true and say thank you for his service.
"Dreams are ageless and people need to remember that people have dreams whether they're a child or whether they're an adult."
Hospice Dreams grants more than 100 wishes each year. As for the Lincoln Museum, this was the third time it's been asked to host such a guest.
