TYLER, Texas — Debra Christian was born and raised on a military base, where her father served for years. Growing up, she witnessed firsthand the sacrifices he made and the dedication that he had.
"He went and served in Vietnam twice. Once for himself, and once for my older brother," Christian said.
She was incredibly proud of her father. And today's event allowed her to truly honor her father and his hard work providing service to the country.
He served in Vietnam twice and in the Korean War as well. And who better to present the honors Tuesday afternoon than the Korean Vets of Tyler?
“It’s a blessing. They don’t know me, but they saw what I was trying to do for homeless veterans, so they came to me and asked me to speak," Christian said.
The Korean Vets were happy to present a fellow veteran with honors. However, they were also appreciative of the work Debra has been doing to assist other veterans in need.
Debra has created an initiative to help homeless veterans in need right here in East Texas. So far, she's helped veteran women find homes in the area. Now, she's continuing to work hard in finding ways to make sure every veteran in the area can have a secure home.
"I work with the City of Tyler. They pay part of the rent, and the veteran pays the other part of the rent," Christian said. "It’s a safe environment, each of them has their own place in Tyler homes here.”