Emotional speeches, tribute bench highlight city’s Veterans Day ceremony

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828NewsNow) — Veterans were the voices of The City of Asheville’s Veterans Day Ceremony at the Charles George VA Medical Center.

And those voices delivered powerful messages: That the VA Center saves lives and that veterans should be remembered every day for their sacrifice and service.

Purple Heart recipient Kevin Rumley, who fought in Iraq and was injured in battle in 2004, was the keynote speaker of the event. Rumley, the Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator for Buncombe County, was told he’d never walk again after shrapnel tore through his leg. He underwent 32 surgeries and was able to walk again.

While he recovered physically, he said like so many other veterans, he’s still recovering mentally.

“Like so many, I returned home with injuries both visible and invisible. I had survived the battlefield, but I still struggled to survive living here at home,” Rumley said. “For years opioids were an important part of my treatment. But over time, I developed a devastating addiction to them.”

Rumley said he lost his sense of purpose and experienced homelessness. He said he eventually found his way to Asheville and to the Charles George VA Medical Center.

“The VA saved my life, and I stand before you today with 15 years plus of sobriety and healing,” he said to a standing ovation.

His speech was followed by readings from Vietnam veterans who are part of the group Brothers and Sisters Like These. This group has veterans write down their feelings as a way to continue to heal. The first veteran to read was David Robinson, who was the inspiration behind the group.

He said it was the 59th time he had read his poem titled “Across the Sea.” He poems recounts his trip across the sea to Vietnam, and in the poem he says he if he hadn’t went across the sea, he never would’ve met brothers and sisters like these.

Dr. Gabrielle Juba was the next reader, and she talked about her experiences in the U.S. Marines and how many times she was told that women didn’t belong. She said that motivated her to be even better and work even harder.

The final speaker was Don Scully, who was also a Purple Heart recipient. He did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and talked about the sacrifice veterans made both on the battlefield and mentally. He also talked about the men he fought beside who lost their lives for their country.

To close the ceremony, veterans and those attending were directed to a tribute bench. The bench, which was dedicated to veterans who fought in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Created by chainsaw artist Mike Ayers, who partnered with Echoes of the Forest, the bench featured a towering eagle.

Like all the other works of art from the group Echoes of the Forest, the bench was made from salvaged wood from Helene.