Van of Valor

By Dr. Kevin Wallace
Van of Valor

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. – The thin, high-altitude air of the Rocky Mountains carries memories. 

In the bustling towns of Frisco and Breckenridge, amid the hum of ski lifts and the chatter of tourists, the echoes of service and sacrifice remain, etched into the very landscape. 

This week, the Van of Valor arrived here, not just as a vehicle, but as a mobile sanctuary dedicated to ensuring those echoes are never forgotten.

We are building a living, rolling memorial to honor their lives, connect with their communities, and document the enduring cost of freedom for the national narrative. In Summit County, we found stories that embody the spirit of the mountains — resilient, brave, and forever part of the community’s soul.

A Son of Frisco: SSG Omer T. “O.T.” Hawkins II

Our first stop was Frisco, a town cradled by peaks, where the name O.T. Hawkins is woven into the fabric of local memory. 

Staff Sergeant Hawkins, of the 101st Airborne Division, was a leader — a man who shouldered the weight of his soldiers’ lives. 

On June 6, 2010, in the Zhari district of Afghanistan, that weight became eternal when an IED tore through his vehicle.

Standing before his memorial in Frisco, you feel the profound loss of a man who chose to lead from the front. He was more than a statistic; he was a neighbor, a friend, a son of this mountain community. 

The Van of Valor paused here so we could reflect on the leadership that was stolen and the family and town that continue to bear that loss.

A Breckenridge Brother: LCpl John T. “J.T.” Schmidt

Just down the road in Breckenridge, the memory of Marine Lance Corporal J.T. Schmidt is kept alive with a fierce, local pride. 

Though officially from Cincinnati, his heart belonged to these mountains. He lived and worked here, a young man embraced by the community before he answered the call to serve. 

On September 3, 2006, enemy small-arms fire in Al Anbar, Iraq, silenced that call.

The memorial stone in Breckenridge is a testament to a life lived fully and sacrificed bravely. He is, in every sense that matters, a Breckenridge Marine. 

His story is a stark reminder that hometowns are not just points on a map; they are the places that shape us, and the places that mourn us.

A Guardian of the Peaks: SPC Gabriel J. “Gabe” Conde

While from Loveland, Specialist Gabe Conde’s spirit was forged on the same slopes that define Summit County. 

An avid skier, he knew the freedom and challenge of these mountains. He carried that fearless spirit into the Tagab district of Afghanistan, where on April 30, 2018, he was killed by small arms fire. 

His Bronze Star Medal with a “V” device for valor speaks to a courage that went beyond the call of duty—a final, heroic act to protect his brothers.

Gabe’s story connects the entire Front Range. He represents the outdoor ethos of Colorado, a young man who traded his skis for a rifle and gave everything in a distant valley a world away from his own.

Our Mission and Our Plea

The Van of Valor is more than a tribute; it is an anthropological and historical project aimed at understanding how America memorializes its fallen. 

As my co-founder, Lauren Wallace, a practicing anthropologist and Harvard University history graduate student, often explains, “We are collecting the story of the story. How a community remembers a life is as critical to our national identity as the official record. The Van of Valor seeks to preserve these grassroots narratives of grief, pride, and memory before they fade.”

This work is urgent. But to finish our mission, we need help. We are a nonprofit fueled by passion and the generosity of patriotic Americans. The costs of fuel, maintenance, and documentation are constant. We have thousands of miles yet to travel, thousands of stories yet to honor.

We cannot complete this journey alone. We ask you to visit http://www.HelpVoV.com to learn more about our route, meet the fallen we honor, and consider a tax-deductible donation. 

Every dollar helps us reach another hometown, another family, another community grappling with a loss that time cannot erase. Follow our journey and share these stories on social media @VanOfValor.

The Van of Valor will leave Summit County, but the stories of O.T., J.T., and Gabe will ride with us, forever part of the narrative we are building—a narrative that says, simply and powerfully, “You are not forgotten.”

About the Van of Valor: The Van of Valor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a nationwide, mobile memorial for the post-9/11 fallen. 

Founded by Dr. Kevin Wallace, a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor recipient, and Lauren Wallace, an anthropologist, the project documents the stories of sacrifice and the ways communities keep memory alive.

Read more at www.HelpVoV.com