A Good Heart and a Purple Heart

Category: "Inspire" Stories

Date: June 21, 2020

On the “Inspire” podcast, Senior Solutions Founder, Ryan Schaake talked about the powerful influence his father, Larry Schaake has had on his life. Throughout Ryan’s childhood, his dad went above and beyond to be there for him — a fact that is nothing short of miraculous considering what Larry went through as a soldier.

While serving his country in Vietnam, Larry was shot by a bullet that entered his forehead above his left eye. Somehow, he survived and miraculously had no damage to his eye. Although he was always reluctant to talk about the experience, he eventually received a Purple Heart for his service and sacrifice. And Larry’s commitment to supporting his family was passed on to Ryan, who has made it his life’s mission to be deeply involved in the lives of his own sons.

Below is a photo of the Purple Heart that was awarded to Larry and a photo of Larry during his time in the service:

Purple Heart Larry Schaake

We express our gratitude to Larry and others like him who have given so much to protect all that we hold dear — and to Ryan for sharing his dad’s incredible story with us.

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