Seeing first-hand the war’s impact on him and others his age left Meeks with an urge to do more for the young American men serving their country. Originally from Minnesota, Meeks’ brother was drafted into the U.S. Our Purple Heart heroes, especially those from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, are leaving us every day and it is mission critical that we preserve their stories of valor for future generations.” “We are tremendously grateful for the nurses at Northern Westchester Hospital for their generosity. Her passion, energy and focus on caring for others is boundless and it’s rooted in her experiences as a front line combat nurse during the Vietnam War,” said National Purple Heart Honor Mission Board Chairman Richie Lay, himself a Purple Heart recipient who served in Vietnam. Meeks was inspired to join the Army Nursing Corps after seeing the war’s impact on her brothers, and that passion for caring for our nation’s heroes has continued to drive Meeks’ advocacy work, including her work with the Women’s War Memorial and her service as Board Secretary for the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. I’m so grateful to work with such giving and caring people,” said National Purple Heart Honor Mission Board Secretary Edie Meeks. “The OR staff at Northern Westchester Hospital are a unique and kind group of people. It seemed only natural to honor her legacy of generosity with a donation to the organization she works so tirelessly to support,” said Caryn Fischer, the OR Charge Nurse who organized the fundraising drive. “We admire Edie for her service to our country and community. To thank Meeks for her service, the nurses at Northern Westchester Hospital donated $1,015 to the National Purple Heart Honor Mission, a cause whose focus on telling the stories of America’s combat-wounded and those killed-inaction is close to the heart of the former Army nurse. Edie Meeks, who is a Registered Nurse working in Northern Westchester’s Operating Room, was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps in Saigon and Pleiku, Vietnam, from July 1968 to July 1969, where she treated countless American service members, many of whom had suffered life-altering injuries. (MT KISCO, NY) – On Giving Tuesday, nurses at Northern Westchester Hospital gathered for a special, surprise ceremony to honor one of their own.

Mission of honor