100-year-old World War II veteran Bert Cote received a cane on Tuesday from Free Canes for Veterans, a Florida organization that creates canes free of charge for veterans that are dependent on them.
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ROCHELLE — Bert Cote was using his new cane so much this week that he misplaced his walker.
The 100-year-old World War II veteran received the cane on Tuesday from Free Canes for Veterans, a Florida organization that creates canes free of charge for veterans that are dependent on them. Free Canes for Veterans has sent creations all over the United States.
“My dad was so excited,” Cote’s daughter, Jeanine Harms, said. “I went over to help him find his walker. He was so excited to get that cane that he forgot all about his walker. He’ll get some use out of it.”
Cote’s cane is adorned with memorabilia from his own service along with his brothers’. He served in the U.S. Army 2nd Armored Division known as “Hell on Wheels” from 1941-1945.
Cote served in Germany under General Patton and was part of a mortar squad. His nine brothers also served in various other branches of the service.
After the war, Cote stayed behind to help get people back into their homes because he spoke French due to his French-Canadian upbringing.
“The lieutenant came to my barracks and told me to put my stuff on and follow him,” Cote said “We went all over Germany getting displaced persons and shipping them back to where they were. It was quite a job. I stayed over there a few extra months. I liked it.”
The story of how the cane came to be started during the holidays. Harms got three Christmas trees for a display at SideTrack Bar in Ashton from St. Patrick Church. A woman from Arizona came in and said to send the trees to Free Canes for Veterans, which makes canes out of them.
“We donated three trees and one came back as that cane,” Harms said. “It was awesome. My dad almost started crying.”
Military history is a large part of the Cote family. Harms talked about how her mother worked at the steam engine factory in town that made trains for the war during WWII. A lot of her sisters did as well while their husbands were at war.
Harms wanted to remind the public that during Christmas 2022, old Christmas trees can be sent to make more canes for veterans.
“I knew it was coming and that my daughter sent for it,” Cote said. “We didn't expect it to be so pretty.”
