Recognition for Kindness Towards Others

Heroes Remember

Recognition for Kindness Towards Others

Transcript

Because my hands were tied a lot of the times to help the kids in the Gulf War and to help the kids in Cambodia I really wanted to do something for them in Bosnia. So I started raising money doing 50/50 draws and stuff like that and we ended up buying this milking cow. I had to phone my dad and go, “Dad, I want to buy this war bride this milking cow because she has these two kids and unfortunately her husband got killed on the wrong side of the border so they called him a deserter.” So the government wouldn’t support her. So she had nothing and she was living in a mud and straw house, right, and she was up behind our camp. So we decided that we would take her on. And the boys lifted up her house and they put like a barn in underneath her house and we bought her this cow. We named it Jigger. But I had to phone my dad. I never bought a cow before in my life and I didn’t want them to rip me off because they thought well she doesn’t know. We’re just going to give her a dried cow right? So I phoned my dad and say okay and he gave me some pointers so I didn’t look like I didn’t know what I was doing when I was buying this cow. So we bought it and we got a good cow. And the boys came with the big MLVW and we’re shoving this cow up the ramp trying to get it into the back of the truck. And we took it to the lady and gave her this cow. She was so happy so now she could sell her milk and make butter and whatnot and keep her family going. And so Jigger now lived underneath her house. And then we raised more money and got her some chickens and made her a chicken coop and stuff like that in her yard. And then I went down to the orphanage in Velika Kladusa, we call it VK and I wanted to know if there was any children that I could help. So there was a group home there and Bayha, he was the guy who ran the group home, he and his wife and he had three young girls that had been severely devastated by the Bosnian army and I wanted to help them because nobody else would have, right? So we raised money with my 50/50 draws and stuff and bought them clothes. We were able to raise enough money to send one girl to school so that one person in the family would be educated and so that she could help the family out to raise money and stuff. And so we did that and then I checked back because I was over there several times, right and the girls were doing good every time I came back and checked. I just did stuff like that and it’s the kids that get to me. The kids are so innocent now, they get stuck in the war of adults right and it’s not right. Someone needs to take care of them. They are the world’s future, you know. And I still have a hard time with all of this. It doesn’t leave you. It doesn’t matter how much therapy you do or whatever it never leaves you, no. I wanted to do something. I wanted to make a difference to try and help some people so I put all my time and effort into doing that and everybody in my squadron was, you know, all jumping in to help and volunteering to help, you know, all the time and we did it together. I certainly didn’t do it all by myself that’s for sure.

Description

During military service, Ms Fuchs speaks about how she felt the need to assist the less fortunate and because of these actions received a commendation award.

Bettina Fuchs

Ms. Bettina Fuchs was born February 24, 1963 in Nanaimo, British Columbia. With the desire to obtain a stable career, Ms. Fuchs made the choice to join the military and accept a trade as MSE (Mobile Support Equipment) Operations where she held an occupation as a driver. With her 25 years of military service, Ms. Fuchs accepted deployments to the Gulf War region, Cambodia and Bosnia. During these deployments, Ms. Fuchs continued to carry out her responsibilities and always went the extra mile to provide aid and kindness to the local population. After a deployment to Bosnia, Ms. Fuchs was recognized for her humanitarian actions and received a Commendation award for her success. Being medically discharged from the military and now retired, Ms. Fuchs finds herself representing Team Canada for the Invictus Games, participating in the sport of archery. She presently resides in Peachland, British Columbia.

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