MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho — The Air Force was Scott Kish’s life. The retired 20-year veteran lived a full life with his wife Kim and their two kids. Then life as they knew it changed.
“2019, Scott had a series of three strokes. We incorporate Scott in different ways. We find things to do here but that’s not how we are. We just kept going,” explains Kim.
Because of Scott’s condition, Kim made the decision to add an accessible room to their home, but in doing so, the Kish’s backyard needed major repair. Kim got emotional when she was initially approached by the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce offering to help. She still gets emotional just talking about it.
“I just had this extension put on. The yard's all torn up, and I was just going to lay down some weed barrier and some mulch. Something simple so we could take of it, but they asked 'What do you want?' Nobody’s ever asked me what do I want,” says Kim.
Being a Caregiver takes a lot of strength, and reaching out to others for support meant the world to Kim. She remembers thinking, “Hey, we’re going to a caregivers meeting in Mountain Home. So I got all happy. I said Mountain Home."
The Home Depot Foundation provided money for supplies and some sweat equity, but it was all worth it at the end of the day.
Alicia Eshbach-Ugalde says that's why we're here, saying “I absolutely love this. It’s life-changing for us just as much as it is for the families.”
Team Rubicon, a Veteran-led humanitarian organization, was there as well.
Stephanie Cantrell who works with Team Rubicon can barely talk about it without tearing up. “It’s my passion, it’s everything, I'm sorry give me a second,” she said when I asked why they joined forces with the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce.
The day we were there, Scott was getting care at the VA hospital in Boise.
We will return to Mountain Home to meet Scott during another visit and get his reaction to all the volunteers and the work they did to help his family.
