Brotherly Love: David's Drive Helps Veterans

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A community has come together to help heroes who served our country. It's all happening in Coatesville.

David Turner Jr. considered it his duty to help veterans. When he died unexpectedly last year, his family and friends dove in to fulfill David's mission of brotherly love.

With military precision, recruits are as busy as elves at the Coatesville VA Medical Center, packing presents for veterans in honor of someone who is no longer here, David Turner Jr.

David wanted to serve his country as a soldier. When his parents asked him to wait a year to enlist, he fell in love with his job at the Veterans Canteen Service.

"He was a great kid," said co-worker Kim Bradford. "Now I'm gonna cry."

Co-workers say David was shocked that many vets had little money to buy essentials.

"Bothered him tremendously. And he'd come over and say, 'They don't have money for underwear,'" Bradford said.

David had an idea: a sock drive for vets who couldn't afford them. He didn't get to see his dream come true. He was found dead last December of an apparent heart arrhythmia. David's father, also named David Turner, has kept his son's dream alive. Now it's much more than socks. Volunteers, friends, family and sponsors have donated money and time to give veterans essentials they sometimes can't afford.

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"It allows me to honor my son," said the elder David Turner.

Included in the presents for veterans are cheese curls, David's favorite.

David's mother Joy said, "Through the pain and the tears, we're able to feel some happiness knowing that we may have helped somebody who put it all on the line to protect us."

David's former co-workers are delighted his vision lives on.

"David's smiling. Oh, he is smiling," said Bradford.

David's boss Barbara Johnson said, "If everyone could emulate what David was, this world would be almost perfect."

For more information on David's Drive 831, visit http://davidsdrive831.org.

Reported by Dave Huddleston, CBS 3