A Hero’s Gift Honors Service

When Lorna Lagarde first heard about Vinson Hall Retirement Community (VHRC), she did not think she would qualify to become a resident—until her boss told her otherwise.

“My commander at the Pentagon told me there was a place where those who work in the Department of Defense could be accepted,” says Lorna. “I was purely a civilian, not military, so I didn’t think I could move in here.”

Though “purely a civilian,” Lorna’s distinguished 34-year career in government service is marked by military heroism. As chief pharmacist at the Pentagon’s health clinic, Lorna was at work on that fateful morning of September 11, 2001, when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building. Even before first responders arrived, Lorna set up a triage team that administered as best it could to victims of the tragedy.

“We will never forget the horror of that day,” says Lorna. During her morning briefing, the PA system sounded the alarm to evacuate. “As I exited the building, people were running. I saw a big ball of smoke down the hall and also started to run.” Medical personnel were called to regroup in the courtyard. “They pulled casualties out of dark, smoke-filled hallways and brought them to us for triage and medications.

“Afterward, my team and I would be called heroes for the work we did that day. But we had witnessed the real patriots—wounded people with burnt hair and faces covered in soot who despite their own injuries would say, ‘Help others who are more seriously hurt than me.’”

Lorna’s journey to VHRC started in the Philippines, where she was born the youngest of 11 children. She moved to the U.S. as a young adult during Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship, and became an American citizen. During her years as the Pentagon’s pharmacy supervisor in the National Capital Region, Lorna provided pharmaceutical support to 90,000 military personnel, 135 embassies, and served during four anthrax attacks. At her retirement ceremony, Lorna was commended for the many ways she impacted the entire military health system. “She was a trailblazer,” said the Pentagon’s DiLorenzo Tricare Health Clinic commander.

After moving into VHRC in 2016, Lorna found herself among residents whose lives have been similarly distinguished by service to their country. But it is the outstanding service that Lorna experienced from the staff of VHRC that motivated her to give a planned gift to the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation.

“The staff here at Vinson Hall really care for us—the drivers, the front desk staff—and they know what they are doing,” says Lorna. “These are the people who could use financial help. So that is where my money will go.”

Lorna’s planned gift is in the form of the 90 percent refundable portion of her deposit for her apartment at VHRC. Her gift is designated to benefit the Foundation’s Employee Caring Fund, which helps staff facing unexpected financial emergencies as well as rewards above-and-beyond efforts. Since the Fund’s inception in 2020, VHRC staff have received 483 financial awards totaling more than $246,000 from this fund.

Lorna credits the staff at VHRC for making her retirement years the very best. “They are the reason I decided to give this planned gift. I am grateful to them every day and very happy to be here.”