Van of Valor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tomorrow, Thurs 7/2 at 6 PM. Hudson, MA. America’s 250th weekend starts here. 🎂

“Van of Valor” Comes to the American Heritage Museum Tomorrow Night — A Cool Refuge of Patriotism During Record Heat and America’s 250th Weekend

With Massachusetts facing a dangerous heatwave, the air-conditioned museum offers a perfect escape to hear stories of heroism on the eve of Independence Day.

HUDSON, MA (July 1, 2026) – As a record-breaking heat wave tightens its grip on Massachusetts, the American Heritage Museum invites the public to beat the sweltering temperatures and step into a cool, powerful evening of American sacrifice. Tomorrow, Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 6:00 P.M., just two days before the nation’s 250th birthday, the museum presents “History After Hours: Oral Histories of American Patriotism,” a special town hall event featuring the authors of the newly released book, Van of Valor.

While outdoor thermometers are expected to soar into the upper 90s, the museum’s climate-controlled galleries — surrounded by Sherman tanks and combat aircraft — will provide a much-needed sanctuary from the heat. It’s the ideal setting to immerse yourself in unforgettable stories on the weekend of America’s 250th.

Retired Senior Master Sergeant Dr. Kevin P. Wallace, a Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart recipient, alongside Harvard Extension School student and anthropologist L. Wright Wallace, will share their extraordinary 280-day journey preserving the firsthand accounts of American heroes. The evening will be moderated by Marc Fucarile, a resilient survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and founder of the MARC Network.

Released on June 30, 2026, by Ballast Books of Valor Press, Van of Valor chronicles the Wallaces’ relentless mission across America. Living out of a converted FedEx fleet van that served as their home, vehicle, and mobile recording studio, they covered over 27,000 miles — a distance equivalent to driving from Boston across the Earth’s circumference and then on to San Diego. Despite multiple breakdowns, they preserved the stories of 317 Purple Heart recipients, Prisoners of War, and Gold Star Families, carrying the names of more than 440 fallen heroes on the van’s walls.

For the authors, bringing this book into the world is the fulfillment of a lifelong, sacred calling.

“There’s something deeply personal about this moment,” Dr. Wallace shared. “Since we were children, Lauren and I independently dreamed of seeing our own names on a book in a bookstore. In neither case was it narcissism — it was always a profound belief that the words we choose to use and the stories we invest our time in telling are important, much larger than ourselves. To see Van of Valor take physical form is a childhood dream realized, but more than that, it’s the beginning of a mission we both hold sacred.”

The evening begins with remarks from Marc Fucarile, who lost his leg standing just feet from the second blast at the 2013 Boston Marathon finish line. Now a celebrated motivational speaker, Fucarile embodies the theme of turning tragedy into triumph.

“Having Marc guide this conversation is deeply meaningful,” said Dr. Wallace. “His story is Boston’s story. Surrounded by the tanks and aircraft that secured our freedoms, and just two days before America’s 250th birthday, Marc will help us open the floor to veterans and guests to share their own family legacies of service.”

Rather than a traditional lecture, the presentation will transform into a “Town Hall for Heroes,” inviting attendees to explore the depth of sacrifice that built and preserved the nation. While the famed Van of Valor vehicle will not be present, the Wallaces will bring the stories, physical artifacts, and tokens from their mission. A Q&A session and book signing will follow the formal talk.

Event Details:

What: History After Hours: Oral Histories of American Patriotism
When: Thursday, July 2, 2026, 6:00 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
Where: American Heritage Museum, 568 Main Street, Hudson, MA 01749
Cost: Included with Standard Museum Admission; Free for American Heritage Museum and NARM members.
Tickets: [Purchase AHM Admission for Thursday, July 2nd]

For more information on Van of Valor, please visit www.HelpVoV.com.

About Van of Valor:
Van of Valor stands alone, the only book of its kind, and it’s about to rock the nation. The work chronicles Dr. and Mrs. Wallace’s relentless 280-day journey across America, preserving the first-person stories of 317 Purple Heart recipients, POWs, and Gold Star Families. Co-author L. Wright Wallace is a current student at the Harvard Extension School.