The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and Lilly Broadcasting are teaming up to bring The Wall That Heals to Erie on Memorial Day Weekend.

Throughout 2022, we are honoring local Vietnam Veterans and their families.

Twenty years after being shot multiple times in combat, Lee Schaaf died while driving his car in Erie.

Lee Schaaf passed away on February 11th, 1990. Doctors determined he died of a heart infection, along with the effects from his war wounds.

A few years after his death, Lee's wife Mary Nelson completed a major mission.

She was able to get Lee's name added to Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1994. 

Mary Nelson told Erie News Now, "Anyone who died after they came home from Vietnam had to go through a process to get on the Wall in Washington, D.C. After months of calls, we finally got it done. He really deserves to be there."

After he was wounded on September 5th of 1969, Schaaf was told he wouldn't be able to walk at his wedding. Once again, he proved everyone wrong.

"He had Canadian crutches, the ones that attach to your arms, he was in a lot of pain, but he walked the isle after the ceremony", Mary said.