Alexandria Veterans Affairs Hospital Honors Memory of Air Force Veteran with Tree Ceremony

The Alexandria Veterans Affairs Hospital is planting trees around campus to replace those lost during hurricane season.

ABC 31 News Reporter Keisha Swafford has the story on how a special tree ceremony honored a fallen veteran.

VA Medical Center Director Peter Dancey says, “A quote that I heard years ago was leaders plant seeds for trees whose shade they may never enjoy.”

The VA Hospital dedicated their first iron oak tree to Derwin Young.

VA Associate Medical Center Director Darren Travis says, “One of the trees of his favorite was an iron oak, so this iron oak being dedicated today is to his leadership and commitment to the campus and may it grow strong and provide a lifetime of shade.”

Young committed his life to the air force for 16 years.

Travis says, “Mr. Young embodied that leadership and this tree in itself is almost a true symbol of Mr. Young.”

As Chief of Engineering, young played a major role in revamping the campus.

Travis says, “Mr. Young provided a certain level of shade of cover for the Alexandria VA where in engineering, he touched different phases of not only our boiler plant projects that we have going on here, which were totally, what I call, our Renaissance era. He’s played a key role in getting those things going.

Young and his team were committed to the beautification of the VA campus.

The VA Medical Center Director says, “Although he will not see the shade, the individuals that he led, he was friends with, his family, will have an opportunity to enjoy the shade.”

A plaque was made for his 6 years of service at the VA Hospital.

The VA will continue planting more trees around the campus.