{"id":7857,"date":"2025-06-25T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7857"},"modified":"2025-06-25T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T14:30:00","slug":"this-one-is-for-life-va-nurse-replaces-veterans-purple-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7857","title":{"rendered":"\u2018This one is for life\u2019: VA nurse replaces Veteran\u2019s Purple Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-06-25T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

As a soldier with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam, Jose Enriquez survived unscathed until 1970, when he was shot in the shoulder by the enemy while carrying two wounded soldiers to safety.<\/p>\n

For his actions, Enriquez received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, which he proudly displayed in his home throughout his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bullet stayed in,\u201d he said. \u201cThey had to cut the bone to get it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enriquez started receiving care at the Houston VA in 2024. One day, during a home visit by Houston home-based primary care nurse Escobar Francisco, he told Francisco that his Purple Heart had been lost.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A replacement<\/h2>\n

\u201cMr. Enriquez was deeply distressed over the loss of his Purple Heart medal,\u201d said Escobar, who served 13 years in the Coast Guard. \u201cOver the course of our visits, he had proudly shown me the medal, and his wife often spoke of his bravery during the Vietnam War. As a fellow Veteran, I understood the profound significance of that medal and the memories it represented.\u201d<\/p>\n

After some research, Escobar obtained a replacement Purple Heart, which he framed and presented to Enriquez.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe expression on his face was beyond words,\u201d said Escobar. \u201cHis eyes lit up with gratitude and relief, and I could see the weight lifted from his shoulders. As he gazed at the framed medal, the look on his face was priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Escobar said the experience taught him the power of empathy and how a simple act of kindness can have a profound impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe care we provide our Veterans extends beyond physical health. It\u2019s about touching hearts, preserving legacies and honoring the stories that shape who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Enriquez was grateful for Escobar\u2019s thoughtfulness and compassion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI earned it the hard way,\u201d he said of his Purple Heart. \u201cI thought I had lost it, but this one is for life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Army Veteran earned and lost a Purple Heart. A VA nurse and fellow Veteran replaced it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":67,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018This one is for life\u2019: VA nurse replaces Veteran\u2019s Purple Heart - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An Army Veteran earned and lost a Purple Heart. 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