USS Utah Survivor Returns to Pearl Harbor

Robert Swift, 23, was below deck on the USS Utah at Pearl Harbor wrapping souvenirs and writing Christmas cards to his family in Tennessee when he heard a loud commotion. It was an early Sunday morning and the men had just finished breakfast and were looking forward to a day of relaxation. Many sailors had gone up top to sunbathe and enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian sun, so the men below were confused by the loud, disturbing noises. Robert ran up to the deck and saw many sailors lying around - shot and lifeless. The commander told the men to get below, so they would be safe. However, torpedo and Japanese fighter planes had simultaneously attacked the USS Utah, so they didn't realize the severity of the situation. As the sailors began to gather in a lower compartment, the water rose rapidly. Mr. Swift said, "We realized we were in trouble when the water got waist deep, so we ran out of there like a bunch of drowned rats." The ship turned on her side and sank in 8 minutes. Like many sailors, Mr. Swift swam through the oil fires to the shore to survive. The USS Utah was the first ship attacked and wasn't very far from the shore, which saved many of their lives.

Robert Swift's wish was to return to Hawaii to be reunited with his ship and fallen comrades. The USS Utah still lies on her side, and just like the USS Arizona, contains the remains of those sailors who perished there on December 7, 1941.

What a huge undertaking this was for Forever Young, and it was going to take all of us to bring this wish to fruition. Channel 3's morning show, Live@9, asked the community for financial help, as well as the Collierville Herald. The consensus was unanimous- we had to get Mr. Swift, 90, back to Pearl Harbor. It had been almost 70 years since he was there and this was something our community couldn't ignore. With the help of the Durham Foundation and some loyal contributors, Mr. Swift was on his way within four short weeks.

One of the greatest surprises came when Jackie Ford from Northwest Airlines told us they were going to upgrade Mr. and Mrs. Swift's tickets to first class. Ms. Ford said, "This is our gift to Mr. Swift for his service to our country." Having never flown first class before, Robert didn't know he'd be treated like a superstar, and he'd get to eat all the way to Hawaii!

On the day of the Swift's departure, the Navy Band and the University of Memphis Naval ROTC, came to the airport to give him a formal send-off. Channel 3 did a story on Mr. Swift, which was an awesome tribute. You can view it by clicking here.

Mr. and Mrs. Swift and their daughter, Christie, spent 5 nights in Hawaii and were treated like royalty. Jim Taylor, Pearl Harbor Survivor Liaison, hosted the Swift family and arranged for a private tour of the island. This special trip on the Navy's yacht took Robert to the USS Utah once again. Mr. Swift was moved by the amount of respect and attention he received at Pearl Harbor and couldn't believe he was being asked to sign autographs. J His wife said laughing, " He's going to get a big head. I'm going to have to nail his feet to the floor."

The Swift family is humbled by the love they've they been shown and could never thank everyone for making this trip possible. Mr. Swift said, " This was a trip of a lifetime and I never would have gone without Forever Young. Thanks so much."

(Special thanks to everyone who helped made this dream come true.)

Cruise for a WWII Veteran Couple

Bob and Betty Brenner's love affair began when they saw each other at a dance in El Paso, Texas, during WWII. Bob winked as he said; "I was having a "coke" with my buddies when I saw Betty doing the jitterbug on the dance floor. I could see her blue eyes across the room and I knew she was the girl for me." Bob told his buddies," I am going marry that beautiful, Army nurse," but they laughed, "You won't even get a dance with her, much less marry her." Even though she turned him down several times, Bob kept insisting and she finally said, "Yes." Six months later, they were married.

With tears in his eyes, Bob praised his wife of 63 years for her courage and bravery during the war. "She has suffered for years with post-traumatic stress disorder due to her service in the war. She worked on soldiers who were so badly injured that it's still too difficult to talk about it. Even at her age, she still suffers." Bob, 81, who has Multiple Sclerosis, had a wish for Forever Young- he wanted one last romantic trip with his wife, 83. Due to his declining health, he knew this would be their last adventure, so with the help of their family and the generous donations of our contributors, the Brenner's were given a priceless, five-day, Western cruise departing from New Orleans. To make the trip easier, we also included a round trip ticket on Amtrak train from Memphis, which made the experience even more meaningful. "It reminded us both of the troop trains from WWII. They had the men on one train and women on another. Don't you think those windows were busy when we passed each other," Betty said laughing.

Accompanied by their grandson, the Brenner's couldn't get over the beautiful sunsets and the dolphins swimming by the ship. One evening they had a wonderful experience as the entire restaurant sang "Happy Anniversary" and brought little cakes for them to enjoy. Betty remembers, "It was just grand to see so many people celebrating with us. It's a memory we'll have forever."

Having never been on a cruise before, the Brenner's received a once-in-a-lifetime gift and they're both extremely grateful to everyone who made it possible. What an honor for Forever Young to provide a dream trip to these veterans and to be able to show our gratitude for their service and sacrifice to our country. May we always cherish our WWII veterans, for they are so precious to us.

(Special thanks to the Wallis family, Jim Sigler, Dr. Nelson Campany, and Don Ballard for helping fulfill this wish)

Meeting with Joel Osteen

What does an 86 year old receive for her birthday that thrills her beyond words? Eva Skelton, a retired factory worker from Holly Springs, Mississippi received tickets to the Joel Osteen worship service from her daughter, Susan Graves, which was to be held in Memphis. Mrs. Skelton began watching Osteen on Sunday mornings when going to church became more and more difficult for her. "My Mom loves Joel. He is her pastor and she talks about him daily like he's her grandson," said Susan.

When Susan contacted Forever Young with the thought of surprising her Mom with a Joel Osteen meeting, she knew her Mom would be elated to meet him. With a lot of prayer and kindness from the Osteen staff, here is a recollection of the events from Eva's daughter: "They took us down to floor and we went backstage and only waited for a minute. Joel Osteen walked around the corner and Mom just about fainted! It was so cute; she grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go. He was soooooooo nice to her. He hugged her. He talked and prayed with her."

"She couldn't really say anything. She just sat there holding his hand, crying. However, she finally did tell him about watching every Sunday and how much she loved him. The meeting lasted a good 10 minutes. We were all star struck!! He was sooooo cute and just as sweet as he could be. Very humble and down to earth. This would never have happened without Forever Young. Daniel Hight, a Forever Young volunteer, took pictures and I think my Mom kind of had a crush on him- he was a cutie!! We thank you so much. Everything was perfect."

Mrs. Skelton spent 3 ½ hours in Wal-Mart the next day telling everyone about meeting Joel. She said, " This was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. It made my world."

(Special thanks to Joel Osteen for living what he preaches and to his awesome staff, Andrea and Stephanie. Their love for seniors made this dream come true.)

Electric Wheelchair

It was so much fun to watch the Lord fulfill this wish within forty-eight hours of Syvilla Fields' call. Ms. Fields wanted to donate an electric wheelchair to someone who could use it, and she knew Forever Young could make it happen.

Richard Cruse, who wouldn't reveal his age, desperately needed an electric wheelchair. Having only one functioning arm and leg, he couldn't maneuver a regular wheelchair, so moving around was impossible. This gift was a huge need for him. When we delivered it, Richard couldn't wait to get in it. "I've been stuck in my room and couldn't go anywhere. This is freedom for me," he said. He began zipping up and down the hallways and said to a nurse, " Do you want to go for a ride, baby?" Everyone laughed at his joy.

Richard, a retired deputy sheriff and professional wrestler, is a real character. His 1970s wrestling team, the Blue Demons, wore blue masks and carried pitchforks. He said, "Those were the best days of my life." Mr. Cruse was flying all over the place by the time we left. He kept thanking us for his newfound freedom. He reiterated, "This is a new life for me!" As we were entering the elevator, I heard him say to another resident, "See, what I've got!"
(Special thanks to the Fields family and to Lena Booker)

Perfect Date

Having been paralyzed on her right side since birth, Marge, 79, has become a strong woman. "I have always enjoyed people older and younger than me, but I've never really clicked with people my own age. I think it's because they made fun of me when I was growing up," said Marge. Being born in Ohio and moving to North Carolina to be near family, Marge has always had a close family. She moved to Memphis eight years ago to be near her nephew.

A friend who wanted Marge to have the time of her life contacted Forever Young, "She is a great woman and deserves a wish. She has never been on a date and she loves to have fun." Forever Young found the perfect man to wine and dine her. Daniel Hight, 25, picked her up in a limo, took her to dinner at the historic Peabody Hotel, and then attended Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" at the Orpheum.

When asked what was her favorite part of the evening she immediately mention the limo. "I loved the limo, the flowers, the dinner, and White Christmas was fabulous." Daniel asked, "What about your date? Wasn't he ridiculously good looking?" Marge laughed, "Of course! I can't wait to show everyone the pictures. I know they'll be jealous."

Marge said her experience with Forever Young was delightful. "You all have a great sense of humor and I feel like I 've known you all my life. Thanks so much." (Special thanks to All Star Limo for discounting their services, Piano's flowers and gifts for the flowers & corsage, and to Capriccios for donating the wine.)

Back in the Cockpit

WWII and Eastern Airline pilot, Jack Dycus, 85, from Indianapolis recently had his dream fulfilled. Jack's wish was to sit in a modern airplane and discuss the differences in technology since he last flew for a national airline 23 years ago. Bob Haverstick, founder of Never Too Late, asked Forever Young to assist them in completing this wish. As Bob would say it, "Connecting the dots."

Forever Young board member and Fed Ex pilot, Greg Hight, arranged with the company to provide an MD-10 aircraft for Mr. Dycus' wish in Indianapolis. Everyone at the FedEx hub treated Jack as a VIP and he thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the pilots Jim and Dan. He was amazed over the "glass cockpit" and seeing how much technology had advanced in aviation since his retirement. Jack kept uttering…"I can't believe I'm here…I can't believe I'm in the cockpit…I can't believe you allowed me to come and see this plane." In addition to the time in the cockpit, Jack was able to watch some FedEx planes takeoff and land. The two hours he spent with the Indy crew flew by as if they were mere minutes.

Jack was on "Cloud 9" when he got back to the retirement center, and anyone he came in contact with heard about his amazing adventure. His chaperone Rose said it was the "most alive" and "animated" she has seen Jack in two years.

The photo of Mr. Dycus leaning out the cockpit window and waving to the camera is a shot similar to the one he took when he flew missions during WWII. (Special thanks to Federal Express, Pilots Dan Dwyer, Jim McCort, and Greg Hight for making the arrangements.)

Visiting an Ill Son

When Jewell's son, James, heard the news his Mom was coming to visit, he cried. Being a widow, Mrs. Walker didn't think she'd have an opportunity to go to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit her son, who is dying from Multiple System Atrophy.

Jewell's grandson, Jason, contacted Forever Young and asked if it would be possible for us to fulfill this wish for his grandmother and uncle. The entire family was elated when they received the news that Jewell would be going to North Carolina and could stay for two weeks to pamper her son.

James' illness is to a point where he can't hold his head up, and eating is so difficult. However, when Jewell arrived and began cooking those southern dishes like black-eyed peas and cornbread, his appetite came alive. "Fulfilling this wish for my Grandma has made so many people happy. This never would have happened without Forever Young and we are forever grateful. It is very nice to have someone care about what we're going through," said Jason.

(As we see many times in wishes- the giving keeps going and going. A Forever Young volunteer has agreed to send Jewell back to see her son one more time.)