After his partner died, MACV helped this Veteran get back to doing what he loves
Many people who serve in the U.S. military find it hard to ask for assistance when they’ve been trained to help and serve others.
That was the case for Army veteran Robert Lee Evans. After serving in the Army, he experienced a setback, but he says he could not have overcome that difficult time without the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.
“It’s been a whole year, one solid year and they ain’t stopped yet,” said Robert Lee Evans. “They saved a whole grown man’s life.”
He served proudly for three years, and says he loved every minute of it.
“It kept me disciplined and it was a way to support my family,” said Robert Lee Evans.
The oldest of six siblings, Robert Lee Evans joined the Army to help back home.
“I sent my money home to my mom to help my sisters and them out my brother,” he said.
He then left the military to go back home to care for a sick parent. That’s when the unthinkable happened.
“I was with Darlene Woods for 45 years even before I went to basic training,” Robert Lee Evans said.
Woods and Robert Lee Evans were partners since high school. While caring for his parent, she fell ill.
“Love of your life. Best friend two years ago she passed away and I didn’t know how to do nothing,” he said. “I lost her and I kind of lost my way.”
His baby sister Sara Evans ran to his side.
“She just dropped her whole life come to North Carolina right when I needed her,” he said.
“Because I knew his and Darlene’s relationship because Darlene did everything for him, he’s a southern boy. The only thing my brother knows how to do is work, making money. That’s him taking care of his household,” said Sara Evans.
Sara Evans tried to help her brother pick up the pieces, but she knew he needed a fresh start.
“My sister said bro come on up here and we’ll help you out, so I left everything we had accumulated for 45 years and just walked away from it,” Robert Lee Evans said.
He left South Carolina and found a seasonal job in Milwaukee, but when it ended, he hit a wall.
His sister made another move.
“I needed to work on mental illness after the mental illness get him back working gets him back independent and those are the things MACV did for him,” said Sara Evans.
A move to St. Cloud and a phone call changed the course of Robert Lee Evans’ life.
“I called MACV. Those guys just took off, start paying for me a place paying for my apartment from day one, ” said Robert Lee Evans.
He got treatment at the St. Cloud VA and entered the CWT transitional program that gets veterans back into the workforce by providing training, resume writing and setting up interviews.
“It’s like a dream team those guys got together and just started just started rolling and all I has to do was show up something I’ve always done work,” he said.
Now he rides his bike to work every day, thanks to MACV he is back doing what he loves, working.
“Thats all I ask for is to be self-sufficient and those guys did it it’s amazing it’s amazing,” Robert Lee Evans said.
He says he is ready to start living again now that he has a home for the holidays.
“It’s a new chapter so I’m starting a new chapter, so I feel good I feel really good,” he said.
Robert plans to help other veterans by spreading the word about MACV and the help they provide to those who have served in the military.
WCCO is teaming up with MACV for the yearly “Home for the Holidays” campaign. Learn more here.