Bo Derek has always had a deep respect for the military and a strong sense of patriotism, which she got mostly from her dad, who served as a radio operator during the Korean War, her stepfather, and her late husband, who both served in the Armed Forces. In most of her interviews, she has expressed admiration and appreciation for veterans, particularly those who have served in the United States Armed Forces, and her belief in the importance of supporting them.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, the actress explained how she got to know about the challenges vets are faced with. “I remember I ran into the [former] secretary of veterans affairs, Anthony Principi, and he tells me about the rehabilitation events for disabled veterans,” Derek told the news outlet. “These are incredibly moving events. And yet they were having trouble going because some people, perhaps, maybe were uncomfortable — we’re talking about 400 people with all kinds of disabilities.”
The actress disclosed that she had an eye-opener when she attended The National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, which is held annually in Snowmass Village, Colorado, for the first time in 2001, where she came in contact with disabled veterans engaging in a wide range of sporting activities regardless of their conditions. She claimed that their energy and unwavering spirit changed her outlook totally.
“But when I went to my first Snowmass event, I was moved,” Derek stated. “Just seeing 400 disabled veterans and the volunteers who were there… [The volunteers made] sure that they would offer them whatever they needed, whatever they wanted to do in winter sports, no matter their disability.”
“Even if it required adapting some equipment, it didn’t matter, it could be done. That does something to you. They say ‘miracles on a mountainside,’ but it really is,” she explained. “I ended up becoming a chairperson for all the events. It was just so much fun. I did that for seven years. It’s more than just sports, although they’re incredibly fun. You really get to sit down and get to know these heroes on a personal level. It was an honor.”
Derek stated that ever since her first contact with the veterans, she has actively involved herself in a multitude of projects dedicated to honoring and appreciating the war heroes. Her giant strides have been highly recognized as she received the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) most prestigious accolade for her unwavering dedication to the support of American veterans in 2003. She has also been awarded the Communicator of the Year Award from the National Association of Government Communicators and the VA Secretary’s Award.
The 66-year-old also emphasized that people should join hands together to provide support for the veterans by carefully making their research to discover other organizations that are committed to helping the ex-servicemen and women. “There are some great ones, but just be careful with anything that attracts scammers,” she advised. “There’s a special place in hell for those people who scam people out of money from veterans. But, thankfully, there are many other organizations that aim to genuinely help. You just have to do some homework.”
“But it’s so rewarding,” Derek concluded. “As for me, I’ve always worked directly with the Veterans Administration. My brother, who passed away, loved the games and what they meant to our veterans. We created a family fund to support those veterans and help pay their expenses to go to these events.”
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