Fundraiser held in honor of Minnesota soldier diagnosed with cancer raises money for homeless veterans
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — As friends, neighbors and family members gathered at Hackamore Brewing Thursday night, you couldn't go walk two feet without running into someone singing Lt. Col. Jacob Helgestad's praises. No surprise considering he was the man of honor — sort of.
Last summer, Helgestad says a vacation with his wife turned into a life-changing doctor's visit.
"The end of June, my wife and I walked around a mountain in Banff, Canada. It was a 10-mile hike, 5000 feet. And two weeks later, I'm in hospital diagnosed with cancer," Helgestad said. "So it's one of those things that you never know. And my wife and I have learned to not take anything for granted. And to realize each day actually means something with your loved ones. Because you never know when suddenly something will fundamentally change your view on everything."
The news of the diagnosis came as a shock to those who know him best.
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"Jake is a hero. My son and daughter have both joined the Army National Guard because of Jake and his influence on them," said Krystal Erickson, a friend and neighbor. "Before I even knew Jake, he was fighting our country. And I was with his family while he was doing that, and now, he has cancer. And now it's our turn to fight for him."
"We talk about the soldier and the leader. It starts with the man. He is a father and a husband and a neighbor and a friend that is above reproach," said Chris Reed, who helped organize the fundraiser at Hackamore. "He used to go to a brewery like this with his wife and eat pizza but he was losing a lot of weight cause he had cancer. So I said eat pizza, f--k cancer. I made some hats. And I started putting them online. And as soon as I put them online, the rest of the military community started to notice and started to identify a need."
One person who was not on board for having an event in his honor was Helegstad.
"He was adamant that this was not a fundraiser for him or his family. They didn't need it and they knew others did," Reed said, growing emotional.
"So when they called and asked like, 'Hey, can I do a fundraiser for you?' Initially, I was hesitant because the military, I still get my salary. Our health care for the military is good enough that I don't have bills. And so there's no reason I can't give back to people, you know, homeless veterans," Helgestad said.
Homeless veterans were top of mind for Helgestad because he had been watching WCCO's most recent Home for the Holidays campaign.
"It spurred from WCCO and the work that 'CCO did with MACV over the holiday months," he said. "Regardless of how your situation is the case, how mine may be. I know, there's homeless veterans out there. And after, you know, 20 years plus of being in the military, and having had soldiers that were homeless living in their car, that, you know, sometimes it's about the greater good, and not me, as an individual."
Personally, Helgestad says he's taking each day one at a time.
"I'm not looking to retire yet. But I do realize, you know, medical retirement is potentially sooner than later in my future. But until that time, you know, I go to work and do everything that is asked of me, and is required of my position," Helgestad said. "My family, and I, you know, we've sacrificed for the greater good of the nation. And so to me, that's the message... Sometimes it can be about just one person, but in this case and all this, it's about more than just me."
