Dreams for Veterans

Navy Veteran Eddie first saw the rusted hull of the U.S.S. Arizona in 1955. For years he had wanted to visit the Arizona Memorial to salute and pay homage to the sailors lost in Pearl Harbor.  

When he was diagnosed with terminal cancer it seemed as though he would never make it. But Dream Foundation’s Dreams for Veterans program helped Eddie with his final dream, the thing he most wanted before he died.

For 30 years, Dream Foundation has helped fulfill the final Dreams of terminally ill adults. Dreams for Veterans was launched when Dream Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Kisa Heyer set out to create a program dedicated to those who serve or have served.

Today, Dreams for Veterans serves all military Veterans, active duty service members and Reserve and National Guard members in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The nonprofit often works closely with VA to add special touches—such as pinning ceremonies—to honor Veterans.

For Eddie’s Dream, Dream Foundation worked with VA to arrange for a group of fellow Veterans to meet with Eddie and present him with everything provided for his visit to the Arizona Memorial. They also gave him a hand-carved wooden box containing the first of several Challenge Coins he would receive on his pilgrimage.

“I just broke down and cried when I saw the U.S.S. Arizona. It brought everything together at the end of my life,” Eddie shared.

“Their dreams reflect a deep need for closure.”

“At the end of their lives, Veterans often want to visit military memorials, share places and memories with families, or reconnect with old friends from their time in service,” Heyer said. “Their dreams reflect a deep need for closure.”

Heyer will always remember Herbert, a terminally-ill 67-year-old Army Veteran who had long ago mislaid his uniform and medals and wanted to be buried in both. Dreams for Veterans arranged replacements presented to Herbert in a special ceremony.

Dreams for Veterans also helps with other kinds of memorable trips. Virginia, 92, an Army Veteran and VA nurse from Redding, California, dreamed of visiting San Francisco, her favorite city. For Virginia, Dreams for Veterans arranged travel, accommodations and special activities for her and her 98-year-old sister.

And when 26-year-old Army service member Matthew was diagnosed with an aggressive form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dream Foundation helped him attend Super Bowl LVI with his parents.

Veterans have given so much for this country

The program also helps provide terminally-ill Veterans with essential items to make their end-of-life journey more comfortable, and it can even pay bills or provide food.

Each Dream is made possible because of the compassionate support of the community.

The Dream Foundation works with the local VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement office when they have an enrolled Veteran who is chosen for a dream. Together, they support the dream and make it the most memorial experience possible for the Veteran and their family.

If you’d like to help make a Veteran’s Dream come true this Veterans Day or find out more about how Dreams for Veterans can help you or someone you know, learn more about the Dreams for Veterans program.