Story By Gayla Sue Mendez
On June 26, 2025, 14 volunteers from Veterans Helping Veterans (VHV) built a wheelchair ramp for 87-year-old Jane Hollis, widow of Sgt. Eugene Emmett Mitchell, honoring her as a Gold Star widow. Sgt. Mitchell served with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam and was killed-in-action (KIA) during Operation Paul Revere IV at the age of thirty-two.
Nearly 60 years after Sgt. Mitchell's death, his widow Jane now faces mobility challenges due to aging. The stairs outside her home had become an obstacle, so VHV stepped in to ensure this would no longer be a problem. Over the course of one day, the veteran volunteers constructed a deck and wheelchair ramp which now provides accessibility outside her home.
Jane’s eldest daughter, Vickie Sutton, shared memories of the family’s life after Sgt. Mitchell’s death. Vickie remembers — she was just 10 years old when her father was killed in action. Brothers Mike, Scott, and Tony were 9, 7, and 4 years old, respectively. Despite the immense loss, under their Mama’s loving care, Vickie and her brothers moved on and credits the GI Bill for their opportunity to pursue higher education. Today, Vickie is a registered nurse, and her brothers have also built successful lives, all while honoring their father’s legacy.
Gold Star families, like the Hollis-Mitchell family, represent a group that has borne the ultimate sacrifice. During the Vietnam War, it is estimated that 20,000 American children lost their fathers — a sobering statistic that underscores the profound impact of the conflict on generations of families. Four hundred of those children were in Alabama and seven were from Scottsboro and Jackson County.
The ramp at Jane’s house stands not just as a practical structure but as a symbol of the community’s commitment to remembering those sacrifices. VHV is honored to continue building ramps and assisting local veterans and their families since 2017, with each project bringing a renewed sense of purpose and camaraderie to the volunteers. The ramp does not just serve as a physical structure; it is a promise fulfilled — a promise that the sacrifices and service of those like Sgt. Eugene Mitchell will never be forgotten, and that their families will always be cared for with honor and respect.
Honoring and remembering Gold Star families is an essential part of preserving the nation’s history. Veterans Helping Veterans remains steadfast in their mission to ensure that the sacrifices and legacies of these families are never forgotten. For the Hollis-Mitchell family, as well as countless others who endured the loss of loved ones during Vietnam, every gesture of remembrance holds deep significance. It is the American duty to care for those who are left behind when a service member is killed in action, as no compensation can truly equal that sacrifice.
