Candy lady hero to veterans

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA (WLFI) - Once a week, Bonnie Fox drives 75 miles to the Indiana Veteran's Home in West Lafayette. She brings candy, crackers, and love for every single person who lives at the veterans home. 

Fox is the only visitor many of the vets ever see. 

For the last twelve years, Fox has wheeled around a cart full of candy and crackers to deliver a sweet surprise to those who live and work at the Indiana Veteran's Home.

"I have sugar free, then I have chocolate and then I have hard candy and we go to each door in each room to pass the candy out, pass the mail out at the same time," said Bonnie Fox.

Fox spends $65 a week of her own money on candy. She knows every one of the 259 residents who live at the Veteran's Home. And after 12 years of Tuesday morning visits, Fox knows exactly what each person likes.

Fox volunteers her time through the American Legion. Her late husband served in the U.S. Army and her brother dedicated 21 years to the U.S. Navy and served in World War Two. Fox said this is something she can do to serve.

"You get to know them really well and know that they can't do this and they can't do that and that's where I come in and kind of like be a mom to a man that's probably older than me," said Fox.

Fox remembers the birthday of every resident. On their special day, she gives them a birthday card with one dollar tucked inside. It's her way of making sure each person knows they mean so much to her.

"I see her all the time she's always bringing candy on Tuesday, and it's really uplifting very nice. She's a nice lady and there's a chair in heaven with her name on it. She's a wonderful woman," said U.S. Army Veteran Lee Riley.

"Some of them can't tell me what their name is, but they know mine, they know Bonnie or the candy lady," said Fox.

Fox makes her way to eight different floors in three separate buildings. She spends sometimes eight hours each Tuesday making her rounds, but it's more than delivering candy and cards to the residents. She knows each of them by heart.

Fox is retiring this year, but won't be a stranger to the Indiana Veteran's Home.  She plans on making at least two trips a month to deliver her candy and her visits to each of the 259 residents at the veteran's home.