95-year-old veteran shows resiliency in tough times

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and several nights of protests, this time has not been an easy time for Las Vegas.

This week, we teach you about a WW2 veteran who knows a thing or two about how to survive tough times.

Jackie Kostek reports.

FOR OUR CITY.LAST WEEK WE INTRODUCED YOU TOA WORLD WAR II VETERAN WHO CANTEACH US SO MUCH ABOUTRESILIENCE IN TOUGH TIMES.JACKIE KOSTEK HAS MORE IN THISMONTH'S VEGAS STRONGERCHAMPION.AT 95 YEARS OLD, DEAN WHITAKERKNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT HOWTO SURVIVE TOUGHTIMES."BEING ALIVE TODAY IS AMIRACLE." WHITAKER IS A WORLDWAR II VETERAN.HE FLEW 20 MISSIONS OVER EUROPEAS A BOMBARDIER IN THE U.S.ARMY AIR CORPS.HIS SERVICE IS BOOKENDED INBRAVERY, EARNING A PURPLE HEARTON HIS FIRST MISSION ANDGETTING SHOT OUT OF THE SKY ONHIS LAST."I GOT DOWN TO THE GROUND ANDTHEY WERE COMING UP AT ME WITHGUNS." WHITAKER SURVIVED BUTWAS TAKEN TO A PRISON CAMP.IT WAS THERE IN THAT PRISONCAMP IN ONE OF THE DARKESTMOMENTS OF HIS LIFE THAT HEDISCOVERED A PASSION FOR ARTAND ARCHITECTURE."THE GUYS KNEW I WAS ACARPENTER I BUILT HOUSES.THEY ALL WANTED A PICTURE OF AHOUSE THEY WANTED WHEN THEY GOTHOME." DRAWING BLUEPRINTS OFDREAM HOMES GAVE THE AMERICANSOLDIERS HOPE FOR ALIFE AFTER WAR."IT MEANT YOU WANT TO DOSOMETHING AT HOME." SINCERETURNING HOME MORE THAN 70YEARSAGO, WHITAKER HAS CONTINUED TOCOMFORT, INSPIRE AND UPLIFT.THE BISHOP AT HIS CHURCH SAYSHE'S BEEN A SOURCE OF COMFORTFOR FAMILIES WHO'VE LOSTCHILDREN IN WAR.HE'S SHARED HIS STORY WITHCOUNTLESS STUDENTS AT SCHOOLACROSS THE VALLEY.AND NOW, HE'S DONATES HIS ARTTO THE LOCAL VETERAN'S HOSPICE.A BELOVED NEIGHBOR AND AMERICANHERO, DEAN IS OUR VEGASSTRONGER CHAMPION.THAT WAS JACKIE KOSTEKREPORTING."VEGAS STRONGER CHAMPION" ISSPONSORED BY "FINDLAYAUTOMOTIVE".