On the latest episode of CBS’s Magnum PI, Thomas Magnum volunteers with No Veteran Dies Alone and meets Bob, a terminally ill Vietnam Veteran on hospice. Bob is reluctant at first to have Magnum attending his bedside. However, that turns around quickly when Magnum brings Bob a hearty steak dinner. During the episode, Bob opens up to Magnum and expresses his anger towards his brother for abandoning the draft. He feels his brother left him to fight alone, and he still thinks about it. Magnum reveals his brother set him up with a Veteran volunteer so he was not alone and still thinks about him. Bob is surprised to hear this, and Magnum reaches out to Bob’s brother to reconnect them. At the end of the episode, Magnum is able to get his brother to video chat with him; even Magnum learns something along the way.
This episode brings to light the importance of Veterans having a fellow Veteran near their bedside as they approach the end of life. With activities such as pinning ceremonies and providing support for families, programs like No Veteran Dies Alone and Veteran-to-Veteran provide opportunities to serve Veterans at the end of life. Many of our hospice and community partner programs utilize volunteers who are Veterans themselves, and they create a special bond by sharing their experiences in military service.
If you want to learn more about volunteering with your local hospice, check out our Partner Directory to find one near you or email veterans@nhpco.org.
