A U.S. Air Force veteran, Ricky Mantei continues to give back to other veterans around his area. Alongside his daughter, Mr. Mantei visits Homestead Hospice in Columbia every Sunday for several months.

Highlighted by WIS News in November 2019, in recognition of November being both Hospice Month and National Veterans and Military Families Month, Mr. Mantei noted that the experience of visiting the veterans at Homestead Hospice is very humbling.

During each of their visits, the duo brings a gift to each individual and spends time with the veterans listening to the mistakes, accolades, and other things in their lives. While he recognizes that their presence cannot change these veterans’ lives, he hopes it can bring a bit of fun and joy into their weekly routine, and he enjoys talking to and listening to fellow veterans.

At the same time, his daughter, Sara, learns valuable lessons that she wouldn’t see on television or read in a book. These lessons can only be obtained from real people telling their stories about how freedom is not free.

Over the four months that they visited Homestead Hospice before their recognition, they helped around 10 families by providing everything from a Christmas tree and turkeys to a hand-built model airplane.