Mr. Henry Harper doesn’t think of himself as a hero, yet he has demonstrated his dedication to his country and community throughout his life.
As a teenager, he joined an auto club of local youth, many of whom worked for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. One year, he produced a talent show to raise money for the local Goodwill. The event was a success, and Goodwill offered to thank the auto club members with a nice meal. Rather than immediately accepting the meal, Mr. Harper said, “Do you have a wheelchair? If you can get us a wheelchair, we will graciously decline the dinner.” The Goodwill employees (and some of the auto club members) were surprised, but Mr. Harper knew that a person in their neighborhood had a critical need for a wheelchair. It turned out that Goodwill did have a wheelchair that they could donate, and today, Mr. Harper recalls the joy of giving to a neighbor in need as one of his proudest memories.
Mr. Harper credits his parents, Ruth and Henry Harper, for inspiring him the desire to serve others. He describes his parents as people who served their community in all that they did. From coaching little league to styling kids’ hair in the community, his parents always sought opportunities to donate their time and resources to those who needed them.
After Mr. Harper graduated 1969 from Carver High School, he joined the Air Force. He describes his story as simple, yet the impacts of his contributions to his community can be seen worldwide.
While serving in the military, Henry was stationed at multiple bases throughout the United States and at The Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, known today as the Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base. While in Thailand, Mr. Harper worked closely with the Royal Thai Police on town patrol. Mr. Harper fondly looks back on the experience and acknowledges that, at one time, it inspired him to become a police officer; however, his interests shifted shortly after retiring from the military.
In 1977, Mr. Haper joined the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and worked there for the next thirty years. When he started working there, he was a material handler, but eventually, he became a forklift operator and then went on to become a truck driver. During Mr. Harper’s time in the military, he learned a lot about safety, driving occupational vehicles, and mentoring younger workers. Although he became an adept truck driver, he speaks of his time at the company as a remarkable opportunity to teach and mentor young drivers until they had the driving skills they needed to be successful in their roles.
After retiring, Mr. Harper owned his own business for several years but consistently sought ways to continue to give to his community. He speaks of how John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Barack Obama served as inspirations to him and reminded him of the importance of giving back to your country in all that you do.
He has shown that dedication to the United States through his continued support of organizations like the American Red Cross and the United Way. Despite being on call 24 hours a day and helping community members by serving as an emergency response volunteer, he maintains that he is not a hero. To him, a hero is a single parent working multiple jobs to make ends meet and provide for their kids. It is the teacher who spends their salary to help kids with their education and counsels and champions those kids despite having few resources. It is the veteran who gave up their body fighting for this country.
Mr. Harper does not serve for glory or recognition; instead, he wants to give back to his country in all he does. The selfless dedication that Mr. Harper shows makes this hero deserving of the Salute to Heros Award.