FORT PIERCE — Combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families from across the country will gather this month for a special tribute, where 58 recipients of the Purple Heart medal will receive hand-carved, personalized canes at no cost.
The Purple Heart Cane Project’s annual ceremony is set for Saturday, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m. at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, located at 3300 N. Highway A1A. The event, which runs until about 3 p.m., is open to the public free of charge and honors those injured in battle or the families of those killed.
This year’s keynote speaker is David Bellavia, a Medal of Honor recipient known for his actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah in Iraq. Retired Master Chief Rick Kaiser, a former SEAL Team 6 member and executive director of the museum, will also address the crowd…