William Shields was born in Pennsylvania and grew up working on the farms. He wanted to serve his country, so he enlisted in the Army. He served from 1974 to 1980 as a combat engineer. William learned how to build rope bridges and was an expert in the M-16 grenade launcher, M-16 rifle and demolition.
When the Vietnam war ended, he was married, had two children and 6 grandchildren. He worked 9 years in a fish camp in Florida and then 9 years on a tree farm operating heavy equipment.
William said, “I am very happy that I served our country and am very happy for the time I had here with my family.”
William became disabled at an early age due to Spinal Stenosis, paralysis of his right arm and chronic breathing issues. He now lives in a small home with extremely dangerous and uneven ground blocking his entry way. A large tree with overgrown roots has caused the ground to block William’s door from fully opening. He easily loses his balance and the hill is a safety hazard. He recently fell and now lives with a pacemaker.
The VA provided a walker and electric wheelchair, however William needs the tree removed and a ramp to get into his home safely.
William said “If I fell and broke something, it would completely take away my independence, this change would help me significantly with getting into my home as well as safety.”
We are working to remove the tree and build a ramp for William so he can live without barriers in his own home.
