Ronald Hager was only seventeen when he joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam.
Years later, as an Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice patient, Ronald shared that he had always wanted to take an Honor Flight. Our team, familiar with the program, helped him apply, secured medical clearance and arranged for a guardian to accompany him, making his dream a reality.
On Nov. 13, Ronald flew on Honor Flight #148 from Columbus, Ohio, to Washington, D.C. with 62 Vietnam and Korean War veterans. He was accompanied by Leyla Zickau, Executive Director – Holdings of Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice. T. Marzetti Company generously covered the cost of her flight.
Throughout the day, the Honor Flight veterans and their guardians visited memorials honoring every branch of the U.S. military. They also witnessed the solemn Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery and passed major landmarks like the White House, Capitol, and Washington and Lincoln Memorials.
At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Ronald and Leyla found the name of his high school friend, one of over 200 who had died in a hotel bombing. He was also presented with a challenge coin in gratitude for his service.
Over a thousand people gathered at John Glenn Columbus International Airport to welcome home Honor Flight #148. With family, Ohio Living staff and the community at his side, Ronald was honored for his extraordinary service and lifelong courage.
“To be chosen as a guardian on this Honor Flight was a privilege that rests gently on the soul, a calling as profound as it is humbling,” explained Zickau, who has participated in seven Honor Flights over the years. “I carried the trust of a hospice patient who has allowed me into their final season of life, whose courage has not dimmed with age or illness, but instead glows with a softer, deeper radiance.”
Zickau continued, “To accompany Ron was to witness a living chapter of history. It was to recognize that honor is not only found in medals or monuments, but in the tender companionship of this final journey home. I walked in reverence, served with gratitude and I hold close the truth that this moment was a beautiful gift I will carry for years to come.”