navajo code talker home for good - red feather · 2019-12-06 · navajo code talkers from wwii. dan...
TRANSCRIPT
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2016
Navajo Code Talker Home for Good
Description: On Saturday, February 6, 2012, Dan Akee a 94-year-old Navajo Code Talker got to go home to the
house he built 60 years before. After hundreds of volunteers completely renovated his 4-bedroom home, he saw it
for the first time after 3 months of watching from the trailer he was living in next to the house. Six years ago he and
his wife Margaret were forced to move into the trailer after the house had become uninhabitable due to a leaky
roof, broken windows and no heat source. The WWII hero’s only wish was to “Go Home” and that somehow,
someway his house would be restored for him to live there again before he died. Red Feather Development Group,
a non-profit serving housing needs on the Hopi and Navajo reservations and the Western Agency of the Department
of Navajo Veteran Affairs made the Navajo Code Talker’s dream come true on Saturday. When Dan Akee saw the
renovated house for the first time, he couldn’t believe what he saw as he was clearly emotionally touched in front of
over 65 family members and friends who had come to bless the house and celebrate this special moment with him.
Russel Begaye, President of the Navajo Nation thanked everyone and especially Red Feather for completing what
had been begun 90 days before. “Wow, the house is amazing and benefitting of a national WWII hero and
inspiration of the Navajo Nation.” Over 2,200 volunteer hours were donated, $30,000 raised through
generosity.com and over $50,000 in materials were donated for the project. Dan Akee is one of 10 remaining
Navajo Code Talkers from WWII. Dan Akee is finally home.
Tuba City, AZ, February 10, 2016 – Retired Sergeant Major Dan Akee survived 4 tours of duty as a Navajo
Code Talker in World War II. He was in harm’s way every day as he coded and decoded military messages using
the sacred language of the Navajo nation. The code was never broken by the Japanese and for over 20 years after
the war, the Navajo Code Talkers’ secret missions were not discussed as it was considered “classified”.
Dan Akee is a patient man. Dan Akee is a brave man. However, on Saturday, February 6th not even the war hero
could contain his emotion as he saw for the first time the completed renovation of the house he loved and for which
his only wish was to “go home” to this house he had built himself 60 years before.
“As Dan Akee was wheel chaired into his house by the President of the Navajo Nation Russell Begaye with his
eldest son Danny Akee by his side, there was complete silence and a sense of awe. All the love of the 127
volunteers who spent over 2,200 hours working on the house could be felt. We all had tears in our eyes and the
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look of disbelief on Dan’s face was priceless. Dan whispered to the crowd, ‘This is my house!’ and then he wiped
tears from his eyes,” reported Mark Hall, Executive Director of Red Feather Development Group. Red Feather
provided management for the project and is a non-profit serving reservation housing solutions for the Navajo and
Hopi nations. Red Feather partnered with the Western Agency of the Department of Navajo Veteran Affairs to
design, implement and complete the renovation project in less than 90 days.
For the last 3 months, Dan Akee and his wife Margaret sat in the trailer next to the house they were forced to move
out of 6 years before. They watched as hundreds of volunteers were busy inside the house insulating the walls,
installing fixtures, dry walling, painting and 100 other renovation activities. Dan vowed to not see the house until it
was completely finished. Dan Akee kept his promise.
Dan Akee is one of the last 10 remaining Navajo Code Talkers from WWII and is 94 years old. “We are all
incredibly proud to have done something so wonderful for Dan Akee, who is a veteran hero and an inspiration to
the Navajo nation,” said Eunice Begay, Veteran Service Officer for the Western Agency of Navajo Veterans
Affairs. “It really felt like we all came home with Dan and his wife Margaret, we couldn’t be more proud.”
Begay and her construction crew were instrumental in bringing the project to life and seeing its completion. The
Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs construction crew completed a new roof, the replacement of double paned
windows and updated the structural frame in record time. Ms. Begay noted that the new ADA accessible floor plan,
the new bathroom to accommodate his wheelchair and the accessible kitchen means that Dan and Margaret are safe
in their newly renovated home. Volunteer teams completed two bathroom remodels, a kitchen with new appliances
and installed with hardwood floors throughout the house. Operation Enduring Gratitude of Phoenix sent two of
their veterans to deliver the kitchen appliances and complete the construction of the wheel chair ramp that students
of the Tuba City High School had designed. “It was like magic the way it came together,” said Norena Gutierrez,
Director of Development & Communications for Red Feather. “It is the most beautiful wheel chair ramp I have
ever seen and I know that Dan will enjoy sitting in the sunshine looking out on his view of the mesa from there.”
“Saturday was the day we were all waiting to share with Dan and Margaret Akee and the Akee family. We know
how much this means to them to finally come home to the house they love,” commented Mark Hall, Executive
Director of Red Feather Development Group. Red Feather has been creating solutions to reservation housing for
over 20 years.
The house was blessed by the Akee pastor Pastor Preston following the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Mark Hall and
Eunice Begay welcomed the crowd and made heart-felt thank you’s to their organizations, and sponsors APS,
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Home Depot, Operation Enduring Gratitude. The Home Depot team honored Mr. Akee with a customized shadow
box for the display of all his medals. The spokesman for the Akee Family, Danny Akee remarked with tears in his
eyes, “Everyone who worked on my Dad’s house made his dream come true for him to ‘go home’, there are simply
no words enough to thank you, but our hearts are full. He is so happy and now he is home.”
Dan Akee first apologized to the group gathered by saying he was sorry that he got sick with pneumonia and had
just been released from the hospital the day before. “I thank each and every one of you for all you did. And I can’t
say more,” as he wiped tears from his eyes.
Red Feather raised over $30,000 on generosity.com from individual donors throughout the United States and
abroad. Another $50,000 of In-Kind services and goods were donated by over 20 businesses and corporations. The
secret to the success of the project was over 2,200 hours in volunteer labor donated by over 120 high school
students, veterans and community members of Tuba City, Phoenix and Flagstaff.
Dan Akee is one of 10 Navajo Code Talkers left in the United States. He was one of the 44,000 Native Americans
who served in the US Military during WWII and one of the 450 Navajo code talkers trained to code and decode
secret messages. Retired Sergeant Major Akee is one of three code talkers still alive from his regiment. Dan Akee
currently lives on the Navajo reservation with his wife, Margaret. He raised 12 children, nine who are still living,
in the renovated house. At last count, he has 112 grandchildren, and he hopes they all will come home to visit.
Dan Akee is in a wheelchair fulltime and was hospitalized for pneumonia this last week and last Fall. Akee took
part in some of the worst fighting in WWII including tours at Marshall Islands, Saipan, Tinian and two campaigns
at Iwo Jima. During the war, the Navajo code was never broken by the Japanese.
When Dan Akee was asked what he will be doing now. He just smiled and said, “I’m go ing to take it easy now.”
After all the guests left, that’s exactly what Dan Akee did, he sat in front of the word burning stove with his wife
and grandchildren and they just enjoyed a quiet moment together in their house that they previously thought would
never happen.
Red Feather will host a Community Celebration luncheon on February 13 from 1PM to 3PM at the home of Lily
Akee, which is located next to the Dan Akee’s newly renovated home to honor and thank over 120 volunteers for
their time and efforts. All volunteers who contributed to the Dan Akee “Going Home” Project are encouraged to
attend the luncheon celebration provided by the Akee family and sponsored by APS. For more information, please
call the Red Feather office in Flagstaff at 980-440-5119.
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Red Feather would like to thank the following for their contributions: Arizona Public Service (APS), Home Depot,
Operation Enduring Gratitude Veterans of Phoenix, HomCo Lumber & Hardware, Western Agency of the
Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs, Nizhoni Ranch Gallery, Stacey Wittig - Writer and Photographer, Pueblo
Electric of Las Vegas, NV, Bleekers Boxes, Western Technologies Inc., Jeremy Stinek -Video Editor, Terry
Lewis- Electrician, Thomas Deel Jr. - Welding & Carpentry, Martin Hurlson - Drywall, Rickey Butler - Carpentry,
Allen Preston – Carpentry, Focal Point Eyewear, Inc – Samanthia Max, Saraphina Adson - Navajo Hopi Honor
Riders, Nolan Dempsey - Backhoe Operator, Frederick Aspey - Attorney at Law, Glenn & Renee Wright -
BARIndustries, Inc., Steve Roberts – General Contractor, David Behrens - Artist of “Vision and Valor”, and Chef
Basil Kimbrew of California.
Donations are still being accepted until February 16. If you would like to make a donation:
1. Go to Generosity.com and make a donation of any size
2. Go to the Red Feather website at www.redfeather.org and mark your donation for
the Dan Akee “Going Home” Project
3. Call the Red Feather office in Flagstaff, AZ, at 928-440-5119
Contact Information:
Norena Gutierrez, Director of Development & Communications
Red Feather Development Group
2501 N. 4th Street, Suite 17, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
928-440-5119
www. Redfeather.org
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Pictures are all courtesy of Norena Gutierrez, Red Feather Development Group
Please refer to the Red Feather DropBox for high resolution photos and more information.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6qy359pxduvc4ns/AAAey7-Q-RbWGObPLM_q8FCba?dl=0
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Russell Begaye, (left) President of the Navajo Nation and eldest son Danny Akee (right) escorted Dan Akee,
Navajo Code Talker into his newly renovated home for the first time.
Dan Akee and his wife Margaret shared a personal and emotional moment of extreme gratitude for the blessing of
return to live in the home they had to leave 6 years ago when it had become uninhabitable. Red Feather and the
Western Agency of the Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs completed the renovation in 90 days and made a
hero’s wish come true.
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Dan Akee raised 12 children and 122 grandchildren in the house he built with his own hands. Family celebrated
with Dan Akee on the renovation of the house.
Overwhelmed Danny Akee, eldest son and daily caretaker of his father Dan Akee, Navajo Code Talker and his wife
Margaret shared a personal thank you with Mark Hall,
Executive Director of Red Feather Development Group. Mark never doubted that it was all possible.
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Dan Akee said, “I just want to take it easy now.” After the guests left, the Akees had their first quiet moment in
their home sitting in front of the wood burning fireplace in complete gratitude (and a little shock) for how very
beautiful their home is now.
Pastor Preston blessed the new Dan Akee so that nor harm would befall the house and that Dan Akee would enjoy
all the days of his life in his beautiful new house. Russell Begaye, President of the Navajo Nation joined in sharing
the blessings of all the work that had been done to answer Dan Akee’s prayer.
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APS representatives, Jerry Mendoza, Weatherization Program Manager, and Nonie Black Elk, Administrative
Coordinator - Renewable Energy and Native American Networking Organization board member, join the Akees.
APS donated a team of volunteers, insulation, LED bulbs and financial support to assist in the completion of the
project.
Home Depot Jason Langston of Flagstaff #482 and Kenny Rediger of Flagstaff East #421 were on hand to welcome
Dan Akee, Navajo Code Talker home to his renovated house. Home Depot donated their Team Depot volunteers to
paint the inside of the house, and financial contributed to the project.
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Finishing the Wheel chair ramp was critical to the project. Operation Eternal Gratitude, a veteran organization out
of Phoenix donated the kitchen appliances and supplied the labor with Wallace Begay of the Western Agency of the
Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs. It is one of the most beautiful wheel chair ramps on the Navajo Nation.
Wilfred Kaye of the Hopi Nation was completing the final touches on the house and cleaning before guests arrived
for the Ribbon Cutting and House Blessing. Over 120 volunteers donated over 2,200 hours to complete the
renovation.
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(L to R) Red Feather Executive Director Mark Hall partnered with Eunice Begay of the Western Agency of the
Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs and team construction lead Wallace Begaye to complete the project in
record time.
An important partnership was formed with the Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, the Western Agency of the
Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs Eunice Begay and the non-profit Red Feather Development Group
Executive Director Mark Hall.
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BEFORE and AFTER Photos of the AKEE HOUSE
The entrance to the house BEFORE The AFTER wheel chair ramp that is safe
BEFORE The Kitchen was split between two rooms. AFTER the kitchen is in one room with the living area
having a wood burning stove for heat throughout the house. The living area was redesigned for ADA accessibility
to the Master Bedroom and Bathroom. A laundry room was added and the mud room entry enhanced.
BEFORE the roof was leaking and tiles would fly off in windstorms. AFTER the roof is sturdy and will be strong
for another 15 years.
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BEFORE the Master Bathroom had not been used for over 7 years and could not accommodate the disabilities that
Dan Akee now incurred with his age. AFTER the bathroom was designed to allow his wheel chair to be easily
accommodated for showering for his safety. The 2nd bathroom was plumbed in the original house but never
completed. This is the completed 2nd bathroom (Right)
BEFORE The outside had not been painted in several years and every window was broken. AFTER the new
double pane windows installed aid insulation. The painting and trim of the outside updates the curb appeal.