One year out- Remembering Dale Beatty

I looked down the hallway at Walter Reed Hospital and saw a Veteran in his late 30s being pushed in a wheel chair. At first, it was just a normal sight at Walter Reed to see someone missing legs, but then I noticed a familiar crooked grin and a familiar hat atop his head. The hat read, Purple Heart Homes and the smile meant that it was my friend Dale Beatty. He didn't recognize me in my Army uniform and clean shaven. I looked down at him as we both waited for an elevator and I said sarcastically, "Hey son, what do you know about Purple Heart Homes?"

He looked up at me and said, "I'm the co-founder and we do critical home repair for disabled Veterans!" The excitement in his voice was contagious. I smiled back and said, "I know you Dale"

Then the reunion began as we rode up in the elevator and for the next 2 hours we continued in conversation, Dale, his wife Belinda and me....just reconnecting. As I was leaving that day, Dale gave me a coin from Purple Heart Homes.

He filled me in on his life, his kids, his work and for those that new Dale this was his passion. He surely did love his family.

Dale and John Gallina were wounded in 2004 by an IED blast in Iraq, They came home different. Dale left a good portion of himself quite literally in the sands of Iraq all on the behalf of others.

They came home to our small town Statesville, NC and the new normal began,

The worst day of Dale and John's life became the best day for countless Veterans and communities all over this land. Purple Heart Homes would not exist without that horrible day.

That 2 hour meeting in the hospital led me to join this amazing team at Purple Heart Homes and each day I thank God for that.

February 12th marks the one year anniversary of our loss of Dale. It was a normal Monday morning that came to a screeching halt for Dale's family and for this family we call Purple Heart Homes. I just remember John saying, "We lost Dale".

Death is a crushing thing. It happens every day in every community. But the sting of death is really only felt deeply and profoundly when its close, and this was close.

Dale's passing impacted many beyond our community. Radio stations, social media posts, newspapers across our region and across the land even broadcasted the news far and wide. Our friends John Boy and Billy and Woody and Wilcox led the way in telling Dale's story and in many ways helping us heal a bit.

And why is that? Well, I said this at his funeral and I believe this with all of my being, Dale was well loved because Dale loved well.

There were alot of things that I loved about Dale:

I loved his crooked smile
I loved how he loved old guns and old pickup trucks
I loved our end of the day conversations that drifted from work to life
I loved the way he ragged Parker (Our COO) for leaving work early
I loved watching him play the drums
I loved the way Sophia  (his little girl) bossed him around and that he gave in to every whim she had.
I loved to watch how he made people feel like they were important.
I love the fact that he was messy

On the day he died I went to pick up his Jeep from a local rental car place. He had left it there because he was doing some traveling. I always loved that Jeep, it had awesome stickers on the back and lets face it, Jeeps are just awesome.

I got in and the first thing I noticed was how awful it smelled in there and how messy it was, just like my truck. And in all my hurt and my pain I just started laughing at the complete disorder that I was in the midst of. I said outloud, "Dang Dale, this Jeep is disgusting"

I needed that Jeep ride that day. And his Jeep still sits in the parking lot of Purple Heart Homes waiting on his oldest to get his drivers license. And every time I see it I'm reminded of him,

Oh and that coin he gave me, it still sits on my shelf at home. I've received alot of coins in my time in the Army, from generals and colonels and alot of other bigshots. But no other coin that I have has as much meaning as the one I received that day at Walter Reed.

Its a tangible reminder of what Dale modeled for me.

The Bible says it in a way that is foreign to most in this world. In the book of Philippians Paul implores his readers to, in light of Christ's life of humility, consider others as more important than yourself. And as I reflect on my friend Dale's life through observation of his words and his deeds, he did in fact consider others as more important than himself.

Even though his Jeep was a mess

My prayer daily is that my legacy will somewhat resemble this one day as well.

My identity is sealed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and in His love.... and so was Dale's. In light of all that, I cling a little less tightly to this plane of existence and say these words with supreme confidence:

I will see you again Dale, but not yet....but not yet.

Now, we continue mission

To find out more about the organization that Dale helped found please check out Purple Heart Homes.