Columbia County commissioners on Tuesday evening honored a Martinez woman and her daughter for their work in helping family members of injured veterans.
Anne Way, 54, and her daughter Lara Powell, 25, accepted a proclamation that declares Columbia County a Hidden Heroes’ county during a recognition ceremony. Commissioner Dewey Galeas, an Army veteran, presented the proclamation to Way and talked about the sacrifices she and other family members make.
Way’s husband Peter Way, 55, was a commissioned officer in the Army and a nurse. He was injured in Afghanistan in 2003, and after dozens of surgeries and life-threatening complications due to his leg injury, doctors amputated his right leg in 2015.
Giving the retired Army major his medication, getting him to his appointments and helping him get into the bathroom fell to Way and their two children, Lara and Joe.
Anne Way was a school teacher at Greenbrier High School and at work when her husband nearly died and had to have his leg amputated. Lara, who is now married and about to become a dentist and Army captain, had to drive her dad to the hospital.
“I was silently suffering, and that’s when I resigned from my job because I felt so alone,” Anne Way said. “I don’t want others to suffer alone.”
She joined the Hidden Heroes, a group formed by Elizabeth Dole, the wife of the late Bob Dole. He was the Republican Party presidential candidate in 1996, senator from Kansas and Army veteran who was severely wounded in WWII. Bob Dole died in December of last year. Elizabeth Dole formed the Hidden Heroes group to help those who take care of injured veterans.
Anne Way said she hopes the proclamation will help her find other family members who struggle with loneliness and help them find the government services and support groups they need.
Joshua B. Good is a staff reporter covering Columbia County and military/veterans’ issues for The Augusta Press. Reach him at joshua@theaugustapress.com
