When retired avionics engineer David Courtney began reconditioning autos, it wasn’t particularly out of the ordinary.

According to the news publisher Interesting Engineering, tinkering with old cars is among the most popular hobbies of engineers. But what did become extraordinary was the generosity of the Sun City West resident’s purchase of a van he would refurbish and add a wheelchair lift to donate to a disabled veteran.

Intent on making the vehicle dependable, safe and nice, Courtney undertook a top-to-bottom recondition of a 1996 Ford Windstar minivan.

A Life Member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, Courtney turned to his Sun City lodge to help find a recipient. His only request was that the vehicle be given to a war-injured veteran. Elks Veteran Services’ search found Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame member Larry Leighton proposing a worthy candidate.

An active member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Sun City chapter, Leighton identified Dominic DiGiovanni, a twice-awarded purple heart U.S. Army veteran. Suffering from the recent loss of his wife, DiGiovanni found his loneliness furthered by isolation, something that too often occurs with the disableds’ physical limitations. But this was about to change.

“It felt to like Christmas had come early,” DiGiovanni said.

The minivan was delivered to DiGiovanni’s Sun Lakes home, with an added gift from the lodge. A like-new motorized scooter from member donations accompanied the delivery.

The afternoon was spent at a DMV service center and reviewing operating procedures. Unsatisfied to leave as is, Courtney returned to Sun Lakes several times to add more mobility features to the van, and to ensure operator performance for the vehicle, lift and scooter were all going well. Over time, there’s been a transition from two strangers to acquaintances, to the formation of a friendship, as Courtney learned more about DiGiovanni’s post-military life. 

Through the benevolence of a talented engineer, and with equipment from Sun City Elks No. 2559, one of the nation’s heroes is now able to have a better quality of life.

Editor’s Note: We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.