Bob Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, on Sunday prepares to ride to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his bucket list wish to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

Bob Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, on Sunday prepares to ride to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his bucket list wish to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

‘Wall before I die’: Vietnam War veteran starts ride to D.C. memorial

Bob Glaves joined by Kelly Cook of Pennies for Quarters in bucket list bid, fundraising effort

PORT ANGELES — American Legion Riders from Port Angeles escorted a terminally ill Vietnam veteran and his friend Sunday as they began their cross-country motorcycle trip to Washington, D.C., to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Bob Glaves, 63, of Alaska and Kelly Cook, 43, of Port Angeles left following a community sendoff Sunday morning.

Glaves, an Alaskan trucker, has been diagnosed with multiple types of cancer and it is thought that his illness was caused by chemical exposure during the Vietnam War.

Glaves joked that he is “on sabbatical” as he puts his health maintenance program on hold to fulfill this bucket list journey.

Doctors have said Glaves has about a year left to live, but he said he’s not going to spend that time feeling sorry for himself.

“My kidney failure will kill me before the cancer does,” said Glaves before beginning the cross-country ride. “They can’t fix it, so there’s no sense in sitting around crying about it. Go do your thing and get ’er done.”

On Sunday, American Legion Riders escort Bob Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, out of Port Angeles during the first leg of his ride to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

On Sunday, American Legion Riders escort Bob Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, out of Port Angeles during the first leg of his ride to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

Glaves wanted to do the trip without any fanfare or calling attention to himself, but he and Cook saw this as an opportunity to raise funds to help other veterans.

They are raising funds for Pennies for Quarters, a Port Angeles nonprofit whose goal is to build a community of tiny homes for Clallam County’s veterans who are experiencing homelessness.

Cook is the newest board member for the group, which has purchased 7.5 acres of land on Devanny Lane just west of Port Angeles off Airport Road.

“Bob and I are both incredibly private people,” Cook said. “The only reason that Bob has allowed his story to be shared with other people was for the sole purpose of raising money for Pennies for Quarters.”

Glaves said he is happy to be promoting the nonprofit.

“I think it’s a good thing they’re doing and we’ll see if we can raise money for it in the process of going there and back,” Glaves said. “The last thing I wanted was to be tied up in major exposure, but if it helps with Pennies for Quarters, by God we’ll get it done.”

Matthew Rainwater, president of the Pennies for Quarters board, said he was humbled and honored to have Glaves and Cook fundraise for Pennies for Quarters.

If all goes well, the two riders anticipate reaching New Jersey in seven to 10 days. There, the Blue Knights — a motorcycle club of law enforcement officers — will meet them and escort them to the memorial in D.C., Cook said.

Glaves said he’s scared of what Cook has organized once they reach New Jersey. She wouldn’t give him all of the details, he said.

“She’s got quite the ordeal set up,” he said.

Making that deadline depends on many factors, among them the dietary restrictions and sleep schedule Glaves requires.

Sunday’s ride was expected to bring the pair to the Port Townsend ferry terminal where they would push on and the American Legion Riders would return.

Kelly Cook, Bob Glaves, center, and Clallam County Veterans Association President Gary Velie pose for photos in Port Angeles before starting a motorcycle ride Sunday. Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, is on his way to Washington, D.C., to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

Kelly Cook, Bob Glaves, center, and Clallam County Veterans Association President Gary Velie pose for photos in Port Angeles before starting a motorcycle ride Sunday. Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, is on his way to Washington, D.C., to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

Cook and Glaves became friends in 2010 during a grueling two-week motorcycle race from Key West, Fla., to Homer, Alaska, Cook said.

The race was a fundraiser for veteran and Native American charities. About 800 started the race in Florida and 230 finished in Alaska, she said.

Glaves said it is wonderful to have Cook with him on the journey.

“Her husband, Mickey, and my wife, Mary, are the unsung heroes because they are allowing us to go do this,” Glaves said.

Cook, who grew up on the East Coast, said she has seen the memorial a few times, but expects this trip to be the most meaningful.

“It’s a privilege to be able to do this with him,” Cook said. “I’ve never seen it in this context, never with such meaning of someone who actually served in Vietnam.”

When Glaves arrives at the memorial he is prepared to see the names of his fallen brothers on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

That wall bears the names of more than 58,000 Americans who gave their lives.

“I’m expecting to cry, so I don’t want nobody around,” Glaves said.

As of late Sunday, a total of 27 people had donated $1,190 to Pennies for Quarters, according to the “Wall Before I Die” Facebook page where donations can be made.

More information can be found on the Facebook page, where those who want to contact them can leave messages.

________

Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.

Executive Editor Leah Leach contributed to this story.

Bob Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, is on a ride to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his bucket list wish to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

Bob Glaves, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, is on a ride to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his bucket list wish to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Jesse Major/Peninsula Daily News)

More in News

Peninsula College to continue without budget

Board expects plan in September

An Olympic marmot stands as the star of the show at Hurricane Ridge on Monday. These tourists from Alaska stopped and photographed the creature from a distance as he slowly ate his meal of wildflowers. The marmot is a rodent in the squirrel family and is unique to Washington state. The hibernating mammal’s burrow is only about 50 feet up the paved path away from the parking lot. The group had just photographed deer at the Ridge. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Olympic marmot

An Olympic marmot stands as the star of the show at Hurricane… Continue reading

Eighth-graders Saydey Cronin and Madelyn Bower stand by a gazebo they and 58 other students helped to build through their Sequim Middle School Core Plus Instruction industrial arts class. The friends were two of a handful of girls to participate in the building classes. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Middle school students build gazebo for academy

Businesses support project with supplies, flooring and tools

Frank Nicholson and David Martel.
Veterans in Warrior Bike program to pass through Peninsula towns

Community asked to welcome, provide lodging this summer

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County Sheriff Brian King, right, accompanied by Lt. Jim Thompson of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Police on a leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run on the Olympic Discovery Trail at Port Angeles City Pier. Tuesday’s segment of the run, conducted mostly by area law enforcement agencies, was organized to support Special Olympics Washington and was to culminate with a community celebration at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Carrying the torch

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County… Continue reading

Hopefuls for Olympic Medical Center board debate

Talk focuses on funds, partnership

An encapsulated engineered coupler used to repair a January leak. The leak occurred along a similar welded joint near to the current leak. (City of Port Townsend)
Port Townsend considers emergency repair for pipeline

Temporary fix needs longer-term solution, officials say

Traffic to be stopped for new bridge girders

Work crews for the state Department of Transportation will unload… Continue reading

The Peninsula Crisis Response Team responded with two armored vehicles on Tuesday when a 37-year-old Sequim man barricaded himself in a residence in the 200 block of Village Lane in Sequim. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Man barricaded with rifle arrested

Suspect had fired shots in direction of deputies, sheriff says

An interior view of the 12-passenger, all-electric hydrofoil ferry before it made a demonstration run on Port Townsend Bay on Saturday. Standing in the aisle is David Tyler, the co-founder and managing director of Artemis Technologies, the designer and builder of the carbon fiber boat. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstration provides glimpse of potential for ferry service

Battery-powered hydrofoil could open water travel

Electronic edition of newspaper set for Thursday holiday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition only… Continue reading

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her mother, Rachel Shidler of Port Angeles, during Saturday’s Summertide celebration in Webster’s Woods sculpture park at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. The event, which marks the beginning of the summer season, featured food, music, crafts and other activities for youths and adults. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summertide festival

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her… Continue reading