Small Town Bands Together To Help Air Force Veteran After Health Conditions Unexpectedly Confined Him To Wheelchair
BEAVER COUNTY (KDKA) -- Take a drive to open fields and no street lights and you'll find Frank Matesic. He's lived in Hookstown for about three years.
"The reason I moved out here was I'm a little tired of people," he told KDKA.
The Air Force veteran and hospital equipment technician planned to fix up the property but heart issues followed by hip problems have made walking difficult and confined him to a wheelchair, so those projects weren't able to get done.
"Once you find yourself in this position, there's never a book on that. You have to learn on the run," Matesic said.
Then about two months ago is when Dr. Laura Narry came into his life. She is a vet herself, runs a veteran group, and offered a helping hand.
"It's that never leave a man behind. That's how we are," she said.
Her group is called Laura's Life Transformers.
Around the same time, the area code inspector Randy Morrow was called out to the house by a concerned neighbor. He found the house needed some work and Matesic needed a helping hand.
"You should never put someone down, but if you talk to Frank and listen to him, you'll learn he's a good guy," Morrow said.
He posted on social media asking for people to help someone who served their country, and donations poured in. Food, new appliances, and just yesterday a new furnace.
"I saw a guy who was about to head into the winter without heat, and I couldn't have let that happen," said Don Haley who helped Matesic get the furnace.
The work isn't done. Plans are getting ready to build Matesic a shed for his wheelchair when he is out driving.
"I can't say anything but nice thank you to all those people and I hope that someday if they're ever in need, I might be able to return the favor," Matesic said.
Now Matesic who spent his life helping others is now the one who has other offering help.
"This has made me have a different outlook on people and perspective on humanity," he told KDKA.
