USA Forgotten Heroes

After a show at Hines VA Hospital, Joe Cantafio shares a few musical moments with Vietnam Veteran, George Rolowicz.
George played Joe's guitar very well as Joe and other Veterans listened. Joe joked, "
... with talented veterans like George, they may not need me to entertain any longer."
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One Hundred Wheels

The entertainment part of Forgotten Heroes made its debut during the week of Veteran’s Day, 2004 at Hines VA Hospital. We had local entertainment scheduled for every day that week. Each day between 20 and 40 patients and staff would stop by and enjoy the show. Some came in gurneys and some in wheelchairs. They all seemed to appreciate the opportunity to get out of their rooms and have some fun for an hour. The entertainers all felt something special as they brought a smile to the veteran’s faces. We promised we would be back.

A couple of weeks ago, Joe and I decided it was time for another visit to Hines. We felt that the week of Armed Forces Day (May 16-20) would be perfect.

So, on this Tuesday it was Joe’s turn to entertain the patients in the Extended Care Unit. As the 2:00 show-time approached, I had a feeling that something special was about to happen. I saw quite a few new faces that day. Most of them were waiting to hear Joe again, to hear his music and hear his stories. Today they were not to be disappointed. The crowd seemed a little larger than usual - I counted 50 veterans, every one of them in wheelchairs. The staff – Becky and Mary, handed out tambourines, mariachis, and bongo drums to the patients that were able to hold on to them.

Joe started out the show with a Beatles song, followed by a story of how he began playing the guitar in parochial school. The patients sat quietly song after song with a feeling that I don’t ever remember experiencing before. This was indeed a special show. Joe looked into their eyes as he played song after song.

Before the show, he visited with some of the vets and listened to their stories. He had a song picked out for one vet – “G I JOE’ read the license plate attached to the side of his wheelchair. He wished a Happy Birthday to another. The day before, one of the vets asked Joe for a picture. He didn’t have any with him. So today, he brought not only a picture for him, but a copy of his new recording on CD.

Toward the end of the show, Joe played “An American Soldier”, dedicated to each and every one of the veterans there. He played with such passion and energy, it gave me the chills. The emotion behind Joe’s performance carried over into the crowd. It was an awesome experience. To be able to put on these shows and to arrange for other entertainers to come play here is not an easy task. It is sometimes a logistical challenge. But the reward is immeasurable. Joe’s appreciation for the veterans’ sacrifices is obvious as he immerses himself in the show.

After the show, George, a Vietnam veteran suffering from the effects of Agent Orange, told Joe about how he used to play the guitar before his hands got bad. Joe unpacked his guitar from his case and let him strum for a while. I don’t think most musicians would have done this. George was so impressed by the show that he offered to buy the guitar.

After the show, it was time for the staff to return the patients to their rooms. As these one hundred wheels rolled out of the room, they carried with them 50 proud, wounded warriors who were given a one hour, R&R.

Joe promised we would be back.

Robert Kolling
May 17, 2005