Davids Drive 831 Inc

December 16th 2009, Joy came home from work and found our 20 year-old son, David, unresponsive sitting in his car in the driveway. She called into the house for help, my daughter and I ran outside, we shook the car but there was no response. Samantha called 911, and I punched out the window, pulled my son onto the driveway where my wife and I performed C.P.R. on our child. First responders arrived and transported David to the hospital and despite all efforts, David died. An autopsy identified the cause of death as “natural cause”, a suspected heart arrhythmia. That day changed everything about us, David was gone and one of our biggest fears was that people would forget him.

David was a happy, loving person who just wanted to be your friend and have fun. Like most kids his age, he loved sports, music, and people. Throughout high school David served in the AFJROTC; he took pride leading cadets in the Veterans Visitation Program at the Coatesville V.A. Medical Center. As a high school senior he began meeting with military recruiters, David wanted to serve his country, but he assured his over-protective parents, that he would wait one year after graduation before enlisting. As the year unfolded, David bought a new car, fell in love and accepted a job at the Coatesville, VA Medical Center. David performed his job with purpose and was proud to say, “I serve those, who served for us.” David worked diligently, paid off his car and began looking for a home of his own, a fixer upper, a project for him and his dad and he was up for the challenge. The morning he died, David had received a phone call from his realtor informing him that the seller had accepted his bid; the house was his, David was a homeowner.

While working at the VA he learned that many of the Veterans he served were homeless and didn’t have basic necessities like underwear and socks. He used to tell us that he wished he could buy every Veteran at the VA a pair of underwear.

May 22, 2010 we should have been celebrating David’s 21st birthday. We celebrated David’s life and honored his wish with an underwear drive for Veterans. 150 people showed up in our back yard, and we collected more than 4000 items.

The collection ended, but every couple of days there would be a bag of new underwear on our front porch, the donations didn’t stop so we couldn’t stop, David left us with a mission

June of 2010 a bunch of people who love David created a charity, a 100% volunteer based 501(c)3 public charity with no paid employees, it’s called, David’s Drive 831 and since then millions of pairs of underwear, socks and t-shirts have been donated to Veterans in need. What started out as an underwear drive has turned into so much more, the community has been so supportive that they have made it possible for us to reach out to other Veteran populations.

We provide comfort items to homeless & hospitalized Veterans; we help previously homeless Veterans with a new bed, and essentials for the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. We honor Veterans with parades, concerts, recreational outings, picnics, and sporting events.

We do this because it is our duty, our honor, and because we should. We remind Veterans that the community cares about them and that they are not forgotten. Together we have helped thousands of people and we are making the world a little better

David was a patriot who wanted to be a hero; he was proud of what our flag stands for and respected the men and women who protect our freedom. He is our hero and he would be proud to know that his name is associated with helping Veterans.