BLASDELL, N.Y. (WIVB) — Every year, a decking company, Decked Out WNY, provides a free deck to a veteran in need in their annual Veterans Deck Giveaway initiative.
This year’s winner was announced Monday: Marine Col. David Brenon will get a deck built at his house in the spring.
The owner of the company, Pat Williams, has never served, but is fueled to give back because of an astonishing story involving his uncle named Tim and Tim’s former Navy helmet.
“It sat in a glass case on his credenza in the living room,” Pat said.
Uncle Tim, the brother of Pat’s mom, was the youngest of nine siblings.
“His call sign was Nixon, because he looked like a young Richard Nixon,” Pat said. “He loved the high-speed, high adrenaline lifestyle. He had the coolest car — an old ’67 Cougar. He seemed like the uncle I would’ve, in my 20s, looked up to the most.”
Tim followed his father’s footsteps, a WWII veteran, into the military.
“He graduated top 10 in his class in the Navy Pilot class,” Pat said.