DUBLIN, Ga. — People staying at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center were surrounded by love and support on Christmas morning. The staff handed out gifts to veterans who couldn't be with their families.
Morvin Wesley was happy to get the attention and gifts from the staff at the medical center.
"It was a surprise and it was nice because you know, and they really gave us some really nice gifts," Wesley said.
Wesley is grateful that the VA goes out of its way to make veterans feel special.
"Especially Christmas, a lot of the veterans don't have family and so the VA are our family," Wesley said.
Tomeka Randolph is a nursing assistant and decided to come in on her off day to be with her patients on Christmas.
"Just my passion. That's just something that I enjoy doing taking care of them, helping them. It just it don't feel like work to me," Randolph said.
Matthew Minion was happy to get gifts from his hospital family. He's developed many relationships during his time at the medical center.
"I got hospital grandchildren. I got hospital nieces, so you know I take them all as my family because I'll be here," Minion said.
Randolph is one of his hospital grandchildren and explains how the medical center creates an at home Christmas experience for veterans.
"Some of them we FaceTime their families, let them see their families, video call their families. The ones that don't get gifts, they came around and brought gifts for them so yeah, they're still pretty much taken care of like it's Christmas at home. We try to make the home experience here as well," Randolph said.
Manuel Davila is the director at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center. He says this goes beyond just handing out gifts.
"It's special because this is our opportunity to make sure that not only do we have the chance to talk to them and tell them Merry Christmas and provide gifts of things of that sort but that we make sure that they understand that we know we don't want them to be forgotten," Davila said.