VA Bedford volunteer named 2026 Volunteer of the Year

Owen Knight, an Air Force Veteran and volunteer with VA Bedford Healthcare System’s No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA) program, was named the 2026 Volunteer of the Year at VA’s National Customer Experience Symposium. The award is VA’s highest honor for an individual volunteer.

Knight makes sure Veterans at the end of life are never alone.

When a Veteran at VA Bedford is in their final hours, Knight often gets a call—sometimes late at night and with less than an hour’s notice. He comes anyway.

Over the past year, Knight sat vigil with seven dying Veterans. He also spent nearly 200 hours with Veterans in VA Bedford’s hospice and palliative care program.

Rather than making one-time visits, Knight sees the same Veterans every week. He talks with them, plays games and takes them outside for fresh air. For one Veteran who tires quickly during in-person visits, he calls between visits so the Veteran never goes too long without connection.

That consistency builds trust, and trust helps the care team. Because Knight knows these Veterans well, he notices subtle changes in mood or condition that a less familiar visitor might miss. When a Veteran wants to talk about goals of care or shows symptoms such as shortness of breath, Knight tells clinical staff right away.

“Owen has become an extension of our care team’s eyes and ears,” said Casey Sloan, chief of the Center for Development & Civic Engagement at VA Bedford Healthcare System. “Veterans open up to him in ways they might not with someone new, and he makes sure what they share reaches the people who need to hear it. His willingness to show up at any hour, build real relationships and train the volunteers who come after him has created a lasting culture of connection for Veterans in their final days.”

Mentoring the next generation of volunteers

Knight also mentors new NVDA volunteers. New volunteers shadow him during vigils to learn how to sit with someone at the end of life with dignity and calm. He speaks at VA Bedford’s two-day NVDA training, preparing others to be there when he cannot.

Knight’s commitment began long before he came to VA. In the 1980s, he spent eight years working with patients with AIDS, at a time when a diagnosis often meant only months to live. He later moved into AIDS education, helping people learn how to protect themselves.

A personal loss deepened that calling. When his uncle entered hospice, Knight visited often. On one visit, his uncle could no longer speak and grew frightened. Knight held his hand, told him who was there and promised not to leave his side. His uncle calmed and, within the hour, died.

So, when VA Bedford started a No Veteran Dies Alone program, joining it felt natural.

“Many Veterans have no family or friends in their lives,” Knight said. “I feel blessed and honored to spend time with anyone in this situation. To show them the respect and dignity they deserve is a part of who I am.”

Knight enlisted in the Air Force after graduating high school in 1964. He served most of his time with the 1957th Communications Group at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.

Decades later, his service continues at the bedside.

“Life is so short, and many go through life in pain in one form or another,” he said. “I truly believe that one of the reasons I live is to try to walk alongside some who hurt.”

Interested in volunteering with VA? Visit volunteer.va.gov or contact your local VA Voluntary Service office.