By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Each month, FOX 17 recognizes and honors first responders, healthcare professionals and veterans who “have made paying it forward their life’s work.”
Otsego resident Rick Kelly is the September Pay It Forward Spotlight Award honoree.
An Air Force veteran, Kelly, 83, remains active with VFW 3030. Among his duties is leading the VFW’s honor guard during funerals for local veterans.
He presents an American flag to the family of the veteran.
“The hardest thing for me to ever do is to present that flag,” he said, noting that the pain of experience never diminishes.
Kelly has served in this capacity for more than 30 years.
“When one of them passes, shame on us as living veterans if we don’t give them the honors that they’ve earned,” he said.
Kelly was nominated for the award by Wytney Riley, who used to be Kelly’s boss at an auto parts store.
“Not only does he do all the honor guard stuff, but he’s just an all-around great guy (with a) heart of gold,” Riley said of Kelly.
Riley said Kelly is a giving person who is willing to help anyone who needs it.
“He never told me no,” she said. “He doesn’t tell many people no.”
To Kelly, serving others is a privilege. And serving in the military was the ultimate privilege.
“It was my honor to serve this country,” he said. “And if I wasn’t 102 years old, I’d go back in again.”
The fact that he was nominated for—and received—the Pay It Forward Spotlight Award came as a shock to Kelly.
“There are many, many people around more deserving than I am,” he said.
He hopes that fact that he was selected for the award and that his story is being shared encourages the community to donate to their local VFW, noting that the VFW can’t do its work without financial assistance.
