Be the difference: When an Honor Flight took SC veterans to Washington, D.C., Prisma Health was there

In 2026, Prisma Health team members had the opportunity to escort South Carolina veterans on their Honor Flight. Honor Flights take military veterans, free of charge, to Washington, D.C., for a day spent visiting memorials for their brothers-and-sisters-in-arms and being honored for the service they have provided to our great nation.

Occupational therapists with Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital Taylor Pendleton and Tracie Hawkins, as well as Korean War-era Army veteran Marion Dorsey, shared their experience and what parts of their day they’ll never forget.

“The veterans were mostly from the time of the Vietnam War, but there were seven from the Korean War period, like me,” said Dorsey. “We had three men on our trip who had served in World War II. The oldest of the World War II vets on the Honor Flight was 100 years old.”

Dorsey’s daughter Carolyn accompanied him as his guardian, and he enjoyed time spent with other veterans while still having family nearby. For team member Taylor Pendleton, it was a day of firsts.

“It was actually my first visit to D.C.,” said Taylor, who has worked with Prisma Health for five years. “I had made contact with the veteran I’d be traveling alongside, and he told me that he had actually tossed out his original invitation thinking it was junk mail. He only realized when he received an email later on that the invite had been a serious one. He joked that he wasn’t going to turn down the offer of a free lunch, but he was surprised and excited by how much being a part of the Honor Flight involved.”

Tracie and Taylor connected with their veterans before the flight to hear a little of their stories. 

“The veteran I was connected with had served in Vietnam,” said Tracie, Manager of Therapy Services at Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital. “When we got to D.C., there were hundreds of people welcoming them. It was a very different welcome than the Vietnam soldiers received when they first came home from war. We also went to the Vietnam War Memorial and were able to find the name of one of his buddies who never made it home. I felt very fortunate to be with him in that moment and privileged to hear him talk about his service and his time in Vietnam. For some veterans, they don’t even share their war experiences with their families. So, to have him share that with me was very meaningful.”

For Marion Dorsey, there was something uniquely special not just about traveling to D.C. to see the variety of memorials dedicated to different wars and the men and women who fought in them, but to do so alongside other veterans, many of whom were also checking memorials for the names of those they knew and had lost.

“The group stopped at the Arlington National Cemetery to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the three World War II vets had the privilege of helping lay the wreath during the wreath laying ceremony,” said Dorsey. “We then headed to the Iwo Jima Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and then the Lincoln Memorial, where we had our picture taken. Many of us were searching for the names of friends and relatives lost during those times of service. I was able to find the name of a relative of mine, as well.”

The veteran Taylor was working with needed a wheelchair due to mobility limitations, but neither of them was willing to let that slow him down. They visited a temporary monument called the National Military Monument, where he was able to add his name and his two brothers’ names and see them represented at that monument in Washington, D.C.

On the flight back to Greenville, there was a military Mail Call, with mail being given to each of the veterans as their names were called. Marion Dorsey recalled receiving 36 pieces of mail, including letters that explained how much the service of men and women like Marion Dorsey means to United States citizens not just in South Carolina, but throughout the nation.

For the veteran that Taylor Pendleton worked with, there was one last accomplishment he was determined to make. “He said over and over, I’m going to ride that escalator down for my welcome home at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport,” said Taylor. “Normally, someone in a wheelchair would take the elevator, but he wanted to ride that escalator. He rode down standing with a police officer on either side of him, and he got to experience that warm welcome home.” A crowd of hundreds had gathered to cheer the returning vets.

Taylor and Tracie both felt that there was something very special about the day, not just for the veterans but for those escorting them and ensuring they were comfortable and cared for, able to prioritize visiting the memorials without pushing too hard.

“I think we were able to make them feel truly appreciated,” said Taylor. “I don’t think that military veterans always feel like their service is valued. For me, it’s important that we were able to step in as therapists to make sure the veterans were drinking enough water, eating lunch, all those little things that can slip your mind on such a busy day.”

“It felt like an extension of what therapists at Roger C. Peace do every day,” added Tracie. “We often meet patients and families at the worst time of their life. We’re able to meet them where they are, in a judgement-free zone and make an impact. Roger C. Peace supports adaptive sports opportunities for veterans in the area, and we’re here for them from those first moments back home through years and even decades later, on days like this.”

Marion Dorsey appreciated the support provided by Prisma Health, and hoped that more people will come to understand just how much it means to those who serve in our military to see their service honored.

“This is something really great for veterans,” said Dorsey. “I know a veteran that went on a different flight and he still was carrying baggage from his service, having a hard time. Going on that flight made all the difference in the world and brought him a lot of relief. It’s my hope that people will see how much it means to us and keep contributing and volunteering to ensure these flights keep going.”

Prisma Health values our service members and proudly partners with organizations like Upstate Warrior Solution, which provides military veterans help with navigating and accessing the resources they need. Prisma Health also maintains an adaptive sports program that offers veterans opportunities to go surfing, snow skiing and other activities that they may otherwise not be able to participate it.

To have the opportunity to be a part of the Honor Flight and stand by military veterans as they remembered and were honored for their hard work and sacrifice was one more way we could show our gratitude to those who stand for our nation and the rights we are guaranteed by our Constitution each and every day.