98-year-old World War II veteran gets the healthcare he deserves for Christmas after contacting I-Team
NORTH TEXAS – This holiday season the children of one of the last surviving World War II veterans are thanking the I-Team for stepping in to make sure their 98-year-old father spends Christmas at home getting the healthcare he deserves.
Shelby Dawson, a retired Marine corporal, has struggled with dementia, hearing loss, and mobility issues in recent years. His son, Gregg Dawson, said the family had been trying for months to get more comprehensive care for his father from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Gregg Dawson and his sister say they had made many calls to Chicago, Washington, and Dallas trying to get help and answers. They say they couldn't even determine what their father was eligible for.
In 2018, the I-Team helped the Dawson family prove that injuries Shelby Dawson sustained during his service warranted the awarding of a Purple Heart. The I-Team was also there when Dawson received the medal, an emotional moment for the veteran and his family.
Last month, the Dawsons reached out to the I-Team again. They were "in utter frustration" with the VA. Despite their calls, emails, and mounds of paperwork, Shelby Dawson's home healthcare had been capped at just 11 hours per week.
"We've been trying to get him the care he needs. My father doesn't want to be in a 24-hour facility. He wants to stay at home," Gregg Dawson said as he walked into his father's home.
In response to the growing pressure, the I-Team reached out directly to the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. A spokesperson there assured CBS News Texas that they would "immediately" look into the matter because it involved a World War II veteran.
And within two hours of the I-Team's calls and emails, Gregg Dawson says he received a call from the homecare agency.
"The benefits went from 10% to close to 100%, from 11 hours to 30 hours per week," Gregg Dawson said. "And then an additional six or seven different programs that we could apply for to get our disability rating raised. All the appointments my sister and I took him to, they never mentioned any of that, but when the heat is turned up, they offer all these additional things."
Now, the Dawsons are left with the challenge of sorting through even more paperwork. Gregg Dawson said, "This is the one you have to finish filling out right there," gesturing to his sister who was buried in the growing pile of documents.
While they are grateful that their father will be able to spend the holidays at home, the Dawsons remain concerned about other veterans who might be facing the same long process and confusing paperwork with no one to advocate for them.
"We're glad we got this far, but how many other heroes are out there who fought so hard for our country are buried in this same confusion? They're battling without family or resources," Gregg Dawson said, as he reflected on the challenges his father and others like him face.
For Shelby Dawson, the memories of battle remain vivid. "Shot right between the eyes," he recalled as his eyes filled with tears, and he described the horrors of war.
"I'm not ashamed to cry," he said haunted by the memories.
Despite the struggles, Dawson expressed his gratitude to the I-Team.
Shelby Dawson's fight for more healthcare is a reminder of the enduring sacrifices made by our nation's veterans and the often-overlooked struggles they face when navigating the benefits they deserve from a country they fought to defend.