Veteran receives a moving surprise

Jacki Purdham is an army veteran who served for 8 years and made her way into many hard fought battles.

“June of 1989 shortly after that i was called up to the desert storm 90–91 and i stayed in for a total of 8 years,” Purdham said. 

After service Jackie was chosen to go on not one but two honor flights to Washington D.C.  with some of the women she served with in the 24th Medical Air Ambulance.

Going through her third battle against cancer, Jacki was too weak from chemo treatments to attend the flights.

Before the honor flights, the women were presented with a quilt of valor.

“A quilt of valor is an award given to our service members to those still active or these completed services for any branch of the armed forces,” a Quilt of Valor member said. 

By missing the flight, Purdham was unable to receive her quilt.

Her family knew she was heartbroken about not being able to attend the honor flight.

Purdham’s husband, Charles and her sister Lynn, decided to throw Jacki a surprise party to present her quilt. 

“Me and her husband got the girls to bring the quilt here to present it to her and we managed to keep it a secret, it was pretty tough but we did manage to keep it a secret,” Irons said. 

Each quilt is hand made and unique to every recipient, with each stitch representing a wish for peace and comfort.

The founder of the quilt of valor, Kathryn Roberts, calls the quilt equivalent to a purple heart award.

That honor for Purdham was one she will never forget.

“I can’t even describe what it an honor it is I was broken hearted when I couldn’t go. I mean there were several different flights but the ones that everyone from my unit, I couldn’t go, so to have them come out here tonight to do this is pretty special,” Purdham said.