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00:00Welcome to Operation Healing Heroes. Join us in the boat today as we feature retired
00:08U.S. Navy veteran Patriotic Kenny in beautiful Minnesota. They served for us. They sacrificed
00:19for us. Their stories deserve to be told. Every military veteran has a story to tell. Join
00:33our host, Jay Garstecki, as we honor the stories of our true American heroes, one soldier at
00:41a time. The mission today is Operation Healing Heroes. Brought to you by Great Clips.
00:56Martin Lake is a hidden gem among 10,000 lakes in northern Minnesota. It's here where we
01:03also find another true gem in U.S. Navy veteran Kenny Jari. Kenny has become a bit of a celebrity
01:11whose bright smile and unmatched patriotism have won the hearts of millions worldwide.
01:17Well, hi there, young man. Well, hi. You must be Patriotic Kenny. Yes, I am, sir. They don't call
01:22you Patriotic Kenny for nothing. Look at all these flags. Thank you. Yes, I love flags. I even need
01:27more on my vehicle. You need more, huh? Yes, I do. How would you like to go fish in a patriotic
01:32boat with flags all over it? I would love it. I'd love to have you. Let's go do this. Thank you.
01:37Thank you. That's a big boulder. That'll get us up, and it'll make us go about 60 miles an hour. If you
01:44want to go 60 on the water, we can do it. 60 miles an hour? Yeah. We can go aboard.
01:52So did you grow up in Minnesota? Yes, I grew up in Minnesota, Jay, and I love fishing. Yeah? Yes.
01:59Who'd you fish with? I fished with my brother and my dad. Yeah. Both of them. Several, several times.
02:04The way I look at it, Jay, such an honor to be doing this right now, right this minute,
02:11and to be out here fishing with you. The honor is all mine, not yours, son. Thank you. And I don't
02:17care what type of fish it is. It'll be a lot of fun. And did any of your, did your father serve or
02:24anybody? Yes, my father served, my uncle served, my brother served. The whole family served.
02:29Really? They were an army, so my whole family did serve. And you said that was in the book?
02:33Yes, that's in the book. I gotta get that book. I gotta take a look at that. That's in the book.
02:37You're referring to this book, which is called
02:39Kenny's Bright Red Scooter, right? Yes, that's the book. Yes.
02:44So it says here, as a boy, Kenny always dreamed of becoming a sailor,
02:47just like his uncle Jimmy. After graduating high school, he followed in his uncle's footsteps
02:53and joined the U.S. Navy. What, where was boot camp?
02:58Uh, Great Lakes. Oh, okay. So you're in Chicago.
03:01Yeah, yes. Great Lakes Naval Air Station. Yes, yes.
03:04It's very nice. And it's a funny thing. You know, all that coaching to go in the Navy
03:09from my uncle. And then, uh, you know, I started thinking over here, I'm going in,
03:15but I don't even know how to swim. But I, I got in, I got in boot camp, and, uh,
03:21I learned how to swim, that's for sure. I was stationed in Norfolk. That was my assignment.
03:27But, uh, the ship, uh, USS Okinawa was strictly, um, strictly the Caribbean.
03:34That was the only waters we patrolled at that time, at, uh, the time I was in.
03:39Uh, what was your job on the ship?
03:40My job on the ship was, uh, uh, helicopter, uh, refiller.
03:45Five decks down and way down in the, in the, in the ship.
03:49Making sure all the gauges are working and everything's going well.
03:53And it was a scary place to be down in that pump room, because it stunk and everything.
03:59It was, it was miserable.
04:00The effects on that ship was, uh, you know, that, mainly the fumes, the, that, it was JP5, they call it.
04:07It was ab gas. Very, very strong, powerful gas.
04:11It's, it's very toxic.
04:13And then, uh, a lot of noise from all the pumps.
04:17The hearing, I lost a lot of hearing.
04:19I got hearing aids now, but, yeah, I did lose a lot of hearing.
04:22So was there a war going on at that time?
04:24Oh, yes, there was a war going on at that time.
04:27Was that during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
04:29Yes, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
04:311962, we sailed to the shore of Cuba, because, uh, Russia was, uh, indications, uh, uh, that Russia was going to bomb the United States.
04:45And you were stationed right off in the, in the Caribbean, right off of Cuba?
04:48Right off, right off Cuba, they're, uh, ready to send those helicopters with the Marines in, in case something happened.
04:55There was all, kind of, the whole fleet was there.
04:57Destroyers, cruisers.
04:59We were ready, but it, it was very scary.
05:02Very scary.
05:02You, you can, you can feel the danger when you're that close.
05:06You know, getting blown up.
05:08Mm-hmm.
05:08You know, that's what would happen.
05:09Getting attacked, yeah.
05:10Can you imagine?
05:13Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Great Clips.
05:19Northern Clearing.
05:21And by Enbridge.
05:23Operation Healing Heroes is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting the lives of our U.S. military veterans.
05:36In addition, we also provide financial support and treatment for post-traumatic stress.
05:41Your donation will help heal our heroes.
05:43After 13 days of tense negotiations, President Kennedy accepted the Soviet Union's pledge to remove missiles from Cuba, avoiding nuclear conflict.
06:00Kenny now had some decisions to make.
06:03So I thought about it, thought about it, but I got out.
06:08So, I got discharged in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and my time was up.
06:14It was three years, and got back here.
06:17I'm glad you made it home safe.
06:19Thank you so much, bro.
06:21I love that.
06:22I love it all the more when I hear that, because that's what servicemen need.
06:26I don't care if it's the Vietnam War, or World War II, or which war, because they're all bad.
06:34They're all not fun.
06:35But we got to keep our freedom, and that's what happens.
06:39You got to have that way.
06:40I think we as Americans have a duty and a sacrifice to make sure that we do say thank you and honor our veterans.
06:46Yes, that's a very good statement.
06:48Thank you so kindly to saying that, saying that, Jay, Mr. Pro, I mean that.
06:55I mean that.
06:56Yes.
06:57I know you do.
06:57I got a little one.
07:01A little minnow.
07:03You definitely got one.
07:05Did you see that, Keith?
07:07And I got one.
07:08I got one.
07:10I'm happy.
07:12You know something?
07:14Between the four of us right here, I didn't see the pro catch one yet.
07:19Oh, here we go.
07:21I'm just kidding.
07:22I'm just kidding.
07:24Here we go.
07:25I like to joke around.
07:29Look at that.
07:31Oh, my goodness.
07:33Can I take it off?
07:35Of course.
07:35Please?
07:36If I get too used to this, you're going to become my deckhand.
07:39You know that, don't you?
07:42I'd be proud of doing that.
07:44Believe me, I would be proud.
07:46And then from Norfolk, hopped the train, and away I went, back home.
07:54Yep.
07:56St. Paul Ford Plant was hiring.
07:57I went there and got a job, and it was a decent job, and ended up there working 32 years and
08:04retiring out of Ford Moaning Company.
08:06Kenny's return home was met with struggles.
08:11Transitioning back to civilian life proved difficult.
08:15As years went on, I could feel it.
08:17Yep, yep.
08:19At that time, I wish I would have quit smoking, too, but I didn't.
08:23And it just got worse and worse and worse.
08:252007 is when I, the doctor said, you got COP and emphysema, both.
08:33Not just one, both.
08:35Then I had ended up with cancer besides, prostrate cancer, and that was no fun.
08:40That was in 2013.
08:42That's when they ripped all, ripped all that out.
08:46So, you know, I was drinking heavily, and I mean, I'd get through work, go with the guys,
08:51and go to the bar right away, come home later, and this and that.
08:55My belief, you know, I went to AA meetings for a while, but it didn't do very good, because
09:01I was sober for a while, but then I'd start drinking again, so.
09:05Kenny's exposure to toxic fumes, partnered with heavy smoking and drinking, proved costly.
09:11Kenny's health was failing him.
09:14Unable to walk for an extended period of time, Kenny found some relief through a mobility scooter
09:19he found at a garage sale.
09:22I couldn't walk anymore than probably 50 feet.
09:24At that time, I probably couldn't even walk 40 feet.
09:27Really?
09:27Yeah, and then I had to sit down.
09:30It broke down.
09:31It couldn't be fixed.
09:32I probably had a garage sale for $50, I think 40 or 50 bucks.
09:37At that point, I thought, well, I'm done.
09:41You know, I couldn't afford to buy one.
09:44And I couldn't do it.
09:45So I thought, well, just stay home and end up dying, because that's what would have happened.
09:52That's exactly what would have happened.
09:57Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Great Clips, the Al Lynch Foundation, and by
10:06Lumberjack Lodge.
10:13This ain't good.
10:15He took that whole bait.
10:18Yeah, you hold this.
10:19This ain't good, Jay.
10:20Hey, I see a pattern for him in here.
10:22I'm supposed to be catching them, not feeding them.
10:25If you'd like to see more behind-the-scenes footage, follow us on social media and subscribe
10:31to our YouTube channel.
10:33If you're a U.S. military veteran in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, or beautiful
10:39sunny Florida, log on to our website, takeavetfishing.org, to find an event near you.
10:51Without his scooter, Kenny could not get around.
10:55Now, he had to battle with isolation.
10:59So you had no money, and you had a broken scooter, and you didn't even have your health?
11:03Exactly.
11:03So it doesn't sound like things are going very well for you.
11:06No.
11:06So, I had the fortune to meet these two lovely ladies, Amanda and Jenny at the coffee shop.
11:14When I met Kenny, he had three teeth, first of all.
11:17He cocked like this.
11:18He was real cute.
11:20He was so cute.
11:21But his face was sunken in.
11:22Not, I mean, his nutrition wasn't great.
11:25Like I said, his oxygen walking was very difficult for him.
11:29So he really relied on this scooter to get around.
11:32Truly, and I'm not kidding you, I did not think Kenny had six months left of his life.
11:37To me, that was like, you know, end of life type of thing.
11:41And I was so upset about that for him.
11:44So the next day, we stopped by.
11:46I was visiting with him.
11:47He was sitting on the broken scooter, and I just happened to be taking a video.
11:50Why you didn't answer any text yesterday?
11:54Why?
11:54Yeah.
11:55It's not about the scooter.
11:56I was in tears, you know.
12:02And that was it.
12:03I thought, that's it, you know.
12:06And that was not it.
12:09So people on TikTok were all upset that this fine veteran doesn't have a scooter.
12:16But in 24 hours, people on TikTok, strangers who have never met you but love you, donated $5,000 for a scooter for you.
12:26No, you're kidding.
12:32I don't know what to say, Amanda.
12:34I know, me too.
12:36$5,000 on TikTok.
12:42Can I open my eyes?
12:44Yep.
12:46Oh, my goodness, Amanda.
12:52It's your scooter, one of them.
12:54Come on, let's go over to it.
12:56You can take a seat.
12:57Come on, I'll walk you over to it.
13:00I don't believe this.
13:03Jay, she gave me a whole new life.
13:05A whole new life.
13:07I love her so much, I adopted her as my granddaughter.
13:10It puts tears in my eyes, but it puts good tears in my eyes.
13:16Happy tears.
13:17Thank you, happy tears.
13:19She gave me my health back and my life back and my health too because I feel good.
13:25Really, I'm on my better medication now.
13:29Everything.
13:30My teeth were all rotted out.
13:33Completely rotted.
13:34We need more people like them in this world.
13:37Yes, we do.
13:38Yes, we do.
13:40Absolutely.
13:41Yeah.
13:41Look at you.
13:42You're walking.
13:43Yes.
13:43You're breathing.
13:44You're fishing.
13:45Did you ever imagine in a million years that you'd be able to do this stuff again?
13:48No, because I know one thing.
13:50If it wouldn't have been for her, I would have died in that shack.
13:55I do it this way.
13:56I wake up in the morning and I say, thank God, thank God I'm sober today and I got another
14:01day to live.
14:02That's the way I look at it.
14:04A day at a time.
14:06Like this morning, I woke up and I'm sober.
14:08Amen.
14:08And I continue to be sober all day.
14:11Give me five.
14:11To me.
14:14And it's worked well.
14:16Well, I haven't, I haven't had a drink.
14:20I don't count the days, but I'm just estimating.
14:23Probably haven't had a drink in four years, three years.
14:26Good for you.
14:26But a long time.
14:28Good for you.
14:29And thanks to God, it's working.
14:31Good.
14:32A day at a time.
14:33A day at a time.
14:34Yeah.
14:34Yeah.
14:35Good.
14:35Yeah.
14:36Well, now you've got to make me a promise that you'll stay on that day at a time.
14:40Oh, yes.
14:41For another 80 years.
14:43I sure will, bro.
14:44All right.
14:44I promise you that.
14:46You promise?
14:47I promise.
14:47All right.
14:48I will do the best I can.
14:50That's all I can ask you.
14:51There you go.
14:52I appreciate that.
15:00The Patriotic Kenny Foundation aims to restore independence for veterans through mobility scooters
15:06while supporting mental and emotional well-being by eliminating isolation.
15:14If you'd like to personally thank a veteran that you've seen in one of our episodes or nominate
15:18a veteran to be featured in a future episode, log on to our website, operationhealingheroes.org.
15:26Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Suzuki Marine, Wiley X sunglasses, and by Recon Boats.
15:37Pretty cool.
15:42Yes, it is.
15:43Yeah.
15:43Can I open my eyes?
15:45Yep.
15:45Oh, my goodness, Amanda.
15:50It's your scooter.
15:52One of them.
15:53Come on.
15:54Let's go over, too.
15:54You can take a seat.
15:56All right.
15:57Oh, this is so cool.
15:59You can let go of the horn, Kenny.
16:02That's so nice, Amanda.
16:04Let go of the horn.
16:06This is so nice.
16:08Oh, this is cool, Amanda.
16:10Oh, my goodness.
16:11Oh, my goodness.
16:18I posted that video, and that blew up.
16:22And so within a week, people gave $110,000 for Kenny, which is an astronomical amount of money, right?
16:31So we talked with Kenny, and Kenny's like, this is not right.
16:34This is so much money.
16:35We need to give back to our vets.
16:37You know, I was so lucky that this happened to me, but this doesn't happen to a lot of people.
16:42You know, a lot of people who need scooters aren't getting it.
16:45So we decided, we announced a few days later.
16:48Scooters.
16:49We're going to give away 10 free scooters.
16:55No red tape.
16:5710 free scooters.
16:59And then that took off, and it became a nonprofit, and that's how the Patriotic Kenny Foundation was formed.
17:04It was formed, really, from the world's request.
17:07This is what people wanted.
17:08So that's what we did.
17:09So they can have the freedom and the mobility to scoot around, which they need if they need a scooter.
17:17Great job.
17:18Great job.
17:35Who'd ever thought at 80 years old you'd be making that kind of a difference?
17:39Don't you think I think about it every night?
17:42Yes.
17:4224-7 I think about that.
17:44What they did for me as a veteran, I want to do it to other veterans so they can have the freedom to do what they want to do.
17:53To go walk the dog, to go to the coffee shop, to go to the restaurant, to go to the ball field with the kids.
17:59You name it.
18:01Well, you know what?
18:02Your legacy is going to continue on forever, Kenny.
18:05Thank you, Mr. Pro.
18:07Thank you so much.
18:08You're welcome.
18:09Plus your other crew that you got with you.
18:14I appreciate you, buddy.
18:15And I still want to be, I still would like to be your, not that kind of what you say.
18:21My fishing partner.
18:22Fishing partner, yes.
18:23Well, if you're going to be my fishing partner, I've got to do something for you in order to make you official.
18:28So I have a little something for you.
18:31Okay.
18:34And this is your own Patriotic Kenny red, white, and blue fishing rod.
18:39That was a St. Croix rod made by Thorne Brothers, especially for you.
18:43And it's got our logo and all the branches of service logo on there.
18:46And it says here, custom made for Patriotic Kenny, for your sacrifice and service to our country.
18:53That's for you.
18:54Oh, my goodness.
19:03And if you're going to be a pro fisherman like me, you're going to have to look like one.
19:07So I got you your very own Patriotic Kenny jersey.
19:12With your name on it and Kenny on the back.
19:15Oh, my goodness.
19:15And that's for you.
19:19Thank you, brother.
19:20I appreciate it.
19:21You put so many happy tears in my life right there.
19:24Oh, thank you.
19:25I'm not done yet.
19:26I'm not done yet.
19:27Hang on one second.
19:28Oh, my goodness.
19:29Because of the fact that you outfished me yesterday and you were able to tell the camera that you caught a fish before the pro did, right?
19:35I also went out last night and bought you your very own rod.
19:41And this is the one that you caught all those fish with yesterday.
19:44Yes.
19:45That's the one.
19:46And what's this?
19:49A whopper, plopper, plopper.
19:51Yes.
19:52So you got your very own whopper, plopper, plopper.
19:53A whopper, plopper, plopper.
19:55Oh, my goodness.
19:57Oh, my goodness.
19:58Oh, my goodness.
20:00Oh, Jenny.
20:02Oh, my goodness.
20:03Now you're going to take Jenny out and you're going to show her how to use that, right?
20:05Yes.
20:06Yes.
20:06I sure am.
20:09Okay, good.
20:09And I can hardly wait.
20:11Good.
20:12I know I will be because I have learned from the best pro, so I know I will.
20:17You're too kind, Kenny.
20:18I need to take you on the road with me, buddy.
20:20No, I love to be kind because that's the way I am and I love people.
20:24I know you do.
20:24And especially you.
20:25I know you do.
20:25Thank you so much.
20:26If you'd like to personally thank a veteran that you've seen in one of our episodes or
20:35nominate a veteran to be featured in a future episode, log on to our website, operationhealingheroes.org
20:41and click on the nominate button.
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