Updated: 9:39 AM CDT April 11, 2021
TYLER, Texas It was a special day for two Tyler veterans who were honored with a personal delivery of a handcrafted cane from Canes for Veterans Central Texas.
Ardene Hendley, a 96-year-old World War II veteran, and Bobby Tillery, a 90-year-old Korean War veteran, were the two recipients at the small gathering Saturday afternoon.
Canes for Veterans Central Texas is a nonprofit run by Jamie Willis, who makes walking canes out of old Christmas trees and any kind of wood. The canes are semi-customized and decorated with symbolic stickers.
Over the past years, Canes for Veterans Central Texas has made 12 or 14 canes for World War II veterans and about 25 for Korean veterans across the nation.