WHITBY FIREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1978, PAGE 3 Crippled war veteran, seek el o makeé it onhis own By BRIAN WINTER Staff Writer Walter Pattimore, a 72- yecar-old veteran of the Second World War, is a proud and independent man. After spending six to eight years in nursing homes, he lias. rented anapartment and is 'determined to make it on bis own, despite the many problems he faces. Mr. Pattimore has been in a wvheel chair for six years, and has suffered ever since the war from crippled legs. When. he arrived baek in Canada from overseas, doé- tors at Sunnybrook Hospital told hlm flot t0 work, but he spent many years as -a driving instructor in order to earn bis living. <Now, after three years of negotiations he lias obtained an 80 per cent veteran'1s pen- ,Sion. >Mr. Pattimore moved into tlhe high fise apartmnents, at West Lynde Nov. 1, and since that timnelie bas made, a valient effort to mnake it on bis own. However, three needs are causing hlm great côncern. In recent years, arthritis bas developed in bis arms, and bis hands are nearly use- less. Hie can hardly pusli himself around in bis wheel chair,and wants to find somne organization that will sporn- sor hlmn to obtain a motior- ized wheel chair. Also, he wants a house keeper. A VON nurse cornes to see hlm under doctor's orders three times a week to bath. and shave hlm. She gives good service, he says, but lie needs a fuil-time housekeeper. His only other link with the outside world is a young resident of the, apart- mhent who brings hlm bis groceries- and dropîs in to see him, and check that he is a Il rigit. When lie was in the nurs- ing homfes, Mr. Pattimore re- ceived, $15 a day'fromi the, governiment, to cover the fees of $17 'a day. When he left a nursing home in Ajax at the end of October,the payments stopped, 'and he has been trying to get the, govýernment to reinstate themn so he cari pay for 'a housekeeper. lie had a home miaker for a short time, but was dissatis- fied' that the home maker would flot clean the floors >and do some of the, other work he, is u'nable to do. Mr. Pattimore's third need is to flnd something useful to do. He would like to support himself with a liglit job that is suited to bis limitations. Walter Pattimore sits in his wheelchair in the kitchen of his apartment in the West Lynde high rise apartmnents. Hie obtainied the apartment in November, «after spending'six years in nursig homes, and wants a housekeeper to enable hlmn to continue to live on his own. He bas appealed to the Fiee Press to help in Iris quest to maintain his independence. .1 Free Press Photo.. He suggests that' he would make a good floor walker in a department store. " (No one would suspect that an old man in a wheel- chair is looking out for shop- lifters," he says. His basic need is for some- one to transport hlm to and from the job. Mr. Pattimore is deter- mine d to make it on lis own, rather than go back to a nursing home. "I'm born to be free; I'm a Canadian; 1, fought for, My country for six years for freedom," he says. "I'm flot a vegetable; 'm a person. 1 want companilonship." Mr. Pattimore volunteered for service 'when war broke out in. 1939, and was sent overseas with the first con- tingent- of. Canadian soldiers. Hie was in, every European conflict, including, Italy, France, Belgium and Ger- many. He, was heading across the English channel fo r home when the war ended in May 1945. Mr, Pattimore..participated in the Dieppe raid, and D Day with the Royal Canadian Engineers.' e a His war injiuriesbea when he took parachute, training in England in 1942, and damaged bis l 'egs in a prcieJump. Even though he wias partially crippled, every man was needed, and he conrtinued on active service. He was placed- in charge of running trains in allied occupied Eurôpe, arud bis knees were injured again. when he fell from a locomotive during an air raid.' "I had to walk with crutches for two months after that,"' he said. His injuries were further comnplicated, when--he was 0perating his driving school and a fôrmer pupil lie was ïriding',,with gtinoa accident. This 'put hlmn in hospital for four months, but Mr. Pattimore went back to operatirug his driving school agaîn when ,he got out. Today h e cannot even Sstand up, and his knees are sore at ail times. He* has been to the leading special- ists in Canada, but the doctors have told hlm that the cords in the back of his legs are short and they can't operate on hlm. Mr. Pattimore's wheel chair and a hospital bed have been loaned to hini by the Dekpartrnent of Veterans' Affairs. He is' gradually purchasing somne furniture for bis apartmnent as far, as bis money will'permit, and is trying to make a home for himself. When he approached the Canada Manpower office in WN 'tby for a hiousekeeper,ý he was told there are none available, and one couple has beeii waiting for six months. "My famnily has disowned me; tliey don't corne any m-ore. 1 sit here alone," he says. "I have no visitors- and no0 transportation. My family has forsaken me." Mr. Pattimore is worried that unless he can get back the $15 a day fromr the government, he will not have* enougli money to pay what housekeepers ask for. He would like to have a live-in housekeeper, and says he can supply $100 a month for boardand keep. One of Mr. Pattimoress greatest, problemrs is lone- liness.' "I'm open for phone cails'of any kind," lie, says. "l want company. ,I1 want someone to corne up and play a gaine of cards." : Mr. Pattirnore lives at 201' White Oaks Court, Apartment 1703. His phone number'is .668-6872. He has tried to make the contacts he needs to set hlmn- self up, but has run into difficulties. A week ago, he called the Free Press, to see if bis needs could be publicized. Mr. Pattilmore wants to get in touch with organizatiois and individuals who will help hlm, "but 1 will flot borrow and Lwill flot beg," he says. "I'jn too proud for that." nventory ~to 75% off i WINTER MERCHANDISEI Maeapwh ît . B 12sssbu auf r.d udao e m1cy OVER GREAT WALL. aSTAURNT. 16 Dum 40o. Wou PreM-1 ALL SALES FINAL UAKot1z e hicke&i )CATIONS IN ONtTARIO- SE OUR PHONE BOOKF te à VÊ&I ate