General Mikolajcik, Heroic Advocate for Veterans with ALS Dies

ABC News 4

General Mikolajcik Remembered at Mt. Pleasant Prayer Vigil
04/23/10 11:10 pm |
reporter: Melissa Monti producer: Raymond Rivera
Mt. Pleasant, SC – A prayer vigil was held Friday evening for Brig. Gen. Thomas Mikolajcik.

Mayor Joe Riley remembers the former Charleston Air Force Base Commander with fond memories.

“Tom Mikolajcik was a hero”, says Riley. He and others reflected on the milestones Gen. Mikolajcik achieved during the memorial service in Mount Pleasant.
“We all were empowered by him or challenged by him to be more dutiful and to worry less about our modest challenges in life”, says Riley.

Mikolajcik spent 27 years as an Air Force pilot serving through the Cold War and the Gulf War.

In 2003, he was diagnosed with A.L.S. or Lou Gehrig’s disease after suffering from chronic weakness in his arm. Shortly after, he discovered a link between the diagnosis and military service.

“He was so focused on helping others even until the very, very end”, says Congressman Henry Brown. Brown chaired the Health Committee for Veterans when Gen. Mikolajcik was trying to make A.L.S. a disability claim for service members.

“Because of the compassion and the statistics that Gen. Mikolajcik had, the secretary said we’ll just do it as an administrative change rather than going through the process of having a bill”, says Congressman Brown.

Gov. Mark Sanford remembers the general’s efforts with BRAC to keep jobs at Charleston’s Air Force base.

“This whole idea of never, never giving up is talked about and not so often done– so he walked the walk on that front”, says Gov. Sanford.

All of those who knew the general remember him as an amazing person who’s selfless efforts made a difference.