KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Our Pay it Forward Spotlight Award series this month focuses on veterans.
One Kalamazoo County man has taken on the huge responsibility of honoring veterans one last time.
This month's FOX 17 Spotlight Award winner is Ken Herson.
"If I was in their position, I would want somebody like me coming in just to visit, honor them for their service to our country," Herson explained.
Herson, a volunteer with Promedica Hospice, visits veterans nearing the end of their life while in hospice care.
Over eight years, he's visited around 300 of them, and helped provide one last honor for serving our country.
Herson helps conduct a pinning ceremony, complete with songs, a certificate, and a pin acknowledging the life they lived.
He does it because it's personal for him.
"I enjoy doing it," he said. "I want to thank veterans, as much as I want to be thanked for my service to this country."
There's been sixty veteran hospice patients this year, and Herson is the only veteran volunteer.
"He is there with me at all of them. I can't do a pinning ceremony without him," said volunteer coordinator, Meg Hayden. "Ken is super special. At the last minute, if I call him and I say 'Hey, we had this patient come on service, we need to get there soon,' he will always say yes. He's never told me no."
If you would like more information on Promedica Hospice, click here.
Every month we honor a different category in our Pay it Forward Spotlight series. In October we'll select a healthcare worker who has made giving back their life's work.
If you know someone who makes giving back their life's work, nominate them here.