Destiny is often shaped by chance. However, it also unfolds as a result of our choices. Living and breathing inside a reality we create for ourselves is the definition of liberty. It’s a liberty that hundreds of thousands of Americans have fought and died for.
To be a part of something greater than ourselves is noble.
However, military service is not just stories about sacrifice, at least not how we would define it in that context, or the perils and consequences of combat. We honor veterans for their bravery and selflessness—yet not enough attention is paid to the diverse lived experiences of servicewomen and men.
Legacy and a sense of duty to one’s country represent only two reasons citizens join the armed forces. Being thrust into the military, like any decision, can be a means to protect the power over our fate while we can, such as choosing a better future for our families.
In our youth, so many possibilities lie before us, and all we can do is try to seize them.
Meals on Wheels knows too well that no one is immune to aging.
Over lives and reality evolve, too often beyond our control. But that’s part of the journey; aging with grace is an opportunity to embrace the good with the bad.
Yes, our bodies break down, muscles weaken, mobility suffers, brain functions slow, and our ability to do basic things becomes more challenging—at differing degrees and rates, as determined by genetics, fitness, nutrition, environment, and other factors.
Yet, those of us lucky enough to live a long life have the opportunity to, hopefully, reflect on a life well lived, become more confident and patient through experience, gain a better understanding of ourselves, blissfully recall our memories, spend more time with loved ones—such as grandchildren—and celebrate their milestones and accomplishments, while imparting wisdom, and even discover new hobbies.
We discover a new sense of happiness that we define on our terms, even if we need a little support to appreciate it. A kindness as basic and vital as someone providing a well-balanced meal or making us feel seen can be life-changing.
These acts of selflessness allow seniors to focus on all the other things that matter most to them.
Local Meals on Wheels programs and volunteers take pride in being a lifeline. They seize the chance to help homebound seniors who need support accessing regular nutritious meals, a helping hand, an advocate, or a bridge to maintain their connection to their community—to combat the dual silent crises of hunger and isolation.
This is the story of Thomas Proudford and thousands of seniors like him.
Family Matters
Thomas, an amputee, requires the help of a prosthetic leg, cane, walker, or crutches to move around. The arctic winters in Fairbanks, Alaska, are fraught with snowfall, ice, uneven surfaces, subfreezing temperatures, and nearly endless darkness, which amplify his mobility challenges.
He seems unfazed by everything. Maybe it’s the innate toughness—some might call it stubbornness—of a born-and-bred Philadelphian shining through.
Thomas is no stranger to adversity.
The “City of Brotherly Love,” once owned the highest murder rate among the nation’s largest cities, has come a long way. However, crimes continue to plague many of its pockets. It’s a challenging environment that cultivates tough people.
For Thomas and his wife, who were already raising a young daughter—Thomas’s stepdaughter—and expecting a baby girl, the cost of raising a family there outweighed the benefits; the military offered a stable career and career mobility—which his college degree alone couldn’t accelerate—health benefits, and relocation.
At 32, Thomas enlisted in the army as a private first class (PFC), training with a COHORT (cohesion, operational readiness, training) group—groups that train together and serve in overseas tours to build cohesion.
Thomas’s cohort was eventually deployed to Fairbanks (Alaska and Hawaii are considered overseas locations). Decades ago, “The last frontier” didn’t benefit from the exploration and tourism that today helps buoy its economy and fuel its continued growth; it was a more barren, underdeveloped terrain.
Translation: there wasn’t much available in the form of recreation.
“They said there’s a skating rink and movie theater over here and a liquor store over there,” Thomas remembers.
Thomas, unapologetically forthright, admitted he wasn’t keen on military life in Alaska. Braving the extreme cold, learning to ski, and surviving the terrible swarms of mosquitoes while training in the wilderness during summer were among his least favorite elements.
Yet, he embraced the growing pains of settling into a new place—especially one so different and unfamiliar than anything he’d known. This was their new beginning.
He recognized leaving Alaska was infinitely more complex and perilous than returning to Philadelphia.
Fairbanks was much safer, and the schools were better, so they stayed— a decision that shaped his children’s destiny. Years later, their girls graduated from the local high school, went on to college, started their successful careers, and gifted Thomas with three grandchildren, two of whom are enrolled in college and a third 12.
You can feel the peace that’s settled over Thomas, seeing the perpetual ripples of his decision to join the military and build a home for his family in Fairbanks.
Mr. Proudford
Alaska has a way of molding sturdy people into sturdier people.
As he’s aged, Thomas has embraced the good with the bad with incredible grace. During the 30 years he’s lived in Fairbanks, he’s weathered his share of storms, including losing his leg three years ago.
“I had ankle surgery, which went bad, and I got an infection in my [left] foot,” Thomas says. “I had a metal bar and four pins in my leg and wasn’t getting good circulation.”
The doctor explained the pain and blisters forming were evidence his leg was rejecting the foreign implants, and they, unfortunately, needed to amputate the limb.
He also survived emergency surgery that almost cost him his life and has left him in constant pain, a procedure that makes it almost impossible to use his prosthetic leg.
Thomas, who is separated from his wife and lives alone, hasn’t let the bad luck waver his determination to maintain his self-reliance, like continuing to cook many of his meals. The regular delivery of meals, which he’s received for four years from the local Meals on Wheels program in Fairbanks, is an important part of his weekly nutritious plan, especially on days he doesn’t have the strength to cook—meals that help with his recovery and maintain his sense of independence.
Hearty meals like sloppy joes and chili provide warmth during the coldest months. The local Meals on Wheels program's seasonal variation usually means chili with chicken and a side of mashed potatoes, which is substituted with coleslaw in the summer.
Thomas particularly enjoys cold sandwiches, his favorite nutritious lunch option. These sandwiches include lettuce, tomato, generous ham, and turkey portions.
Thomas is also the recipient of a home renovation project made possible by the Meals on Wheels Amerca’s Helping Homebound Heroes program, funded by the Home Depot Foundation. The funding enabled him to retrofit his bathroom to be more handicap accessible, including installing a new shower head, a gripping bar, and a shower chair.
Thomas, an eternal optimist and fiercely independent person, is also grateful for the Fairbanks community's support. In addition to regular meals and home renovations, he knows how important regular safety checks are, given the health issues he continues to face.
He’s also happy to have two furry companions, his pet cats, to help him overcome the loneliness of being isolated for extended periods, especially in the dark of winter, and the runs to the pharmacy to get his vital prescriptions to help him manage his persistent pain.
These days, Thomas spends his time playing video games on an Xbox he bought on Facebook Marketplace. He particularly enjoys Call of Duty and sports games, which keep his mind sharp and provide a healthy dose of fun—that, too, he refuses to sacrifice to age.