Anonymous donor covers expenses for veterans on upcoming Honor Flight Bluegrass trip

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An anonymous donor has covered the costs for all 84 veterans departing for Washington, D.C. on Honor Flight Bluegrass this Tuesday.

This trip includes three World War II veterans, seven Korean War veterans, and 74 Vietnam War veterans. The group will visit the nation’s capital to see the memorials dedicated to the wars in which they fought. For many, the journey offers long-overdue recognition and emotional reflection.

“It touched me so much,” said Don Kissling, a Korean War veteran who participated in last year’s Honor Flight. “It was a wonderful day.”

Kissling said the trip changed his perspective on his time in the service, who previously viewed it as an obligation and not a sacrifice.

“I've just had a different outlook the last year just because of that trip,” he said. 

But this Honor Flight will be extra special because every veteran’s expenses have been fully covered by an anonymous donor.

When WDRB asked Kissling if he had heard the news, his response was one of genuine surprise.

“Are you kidding me?” he said, letting out a whistle. “No, I had not heard that. I’d like to shake their hand — not just because they’re probably a millionaire.”

According to Jeff Thoke, chairman of Honor Flight Bluegrass, the donation arrived quietly in the mail.

“There’s no notation, no letter,” Thoke said. “It was just — I believe it said ‘For our heroes’ and that’s it.”

While the identity of the donor remains unknown, Honor Flight officials shared the individual is local to the Louisville area and covered a significant portion of the estimated $125,000 cost of the trip.

Honor Flight Bluegrass is a nonprofit that relies solely on donations.

“You know, that helps us get another flight,” Thoke said. “We set aside funds for this flight, so now we can do other flights.”

For Kissling and the other veterans, the experience is more than just a day of sightseeing — it’s a deeply personal and moving tribute.

“It really is an honor,” Kissling said. “It’s not just a word. It’s a wonderful thing.”

The public is encouraged to help give the veterans a hero’s welcome upon their return. Supporters are asked to arrive at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport by 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to be in place for the group’s expected arrival around 9:30 p.m.

For more information about Honor Flight Bluegrass or to get involved, visit honorflightbluegrass.org.