A local veteran’s family is aiding and comforting other veterans after their loved one’s death.
On Sept. 27, Navy veteran Heath Gibson from Brown County lost his 2 1/2-year battle with stomach cancer. While he was fighting it, his family hosted a Scramble for Cancer golf benefit, which would help another local family struggling with cancer.
When Gibson was being laid to rest, his family did not want flowers, but requested donations of coffee, sugar and creamers to donate to the Indianapolis Roudebush Veterans Hospital and to local veterans in Brown County. “The Gibsons spent many hours over the years in the waiting rooms, and saw the volunteer cart offering free coffee, so they felt it was a great way to honor Heath,” said Diane Davern, Heath’s aunt.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]On Oct. 18, Heath’s wife, Joan, and his mother, Judi, delivered a car loaded to the brim with all the donations to the veterans hospital, and then on Oct. 28, a delivery was made to Ron Higgins, the Brown County veterans service officer.
Gibson was “a loving family man who gave back to his community in many ways,” Davern said.
“We can’t thank everyone enough for all their efforts to make this amazing donation possible.”
