pg. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2016

Navajo Code Talker Home for Good

Description: On Saturday, February 6, 2012, Dan Akee a 94-year-old Navajo Code Talker got to go home to the

house he built 60 years before. After hundreds of volunteers completely renovated his 4-bedroom home, he saw it

for the first time after 3 months of watching from the trailer he was living in next to the house. Six years ago he and

his wife Margaret were forced to move into the trailer after the house had become uninhabitable due to a leaky

roof, broken windows and no heat source. The WWII hero’s only wish was to “Go Home” and that somehow,

someway his house would be restored for him to live there again before he died. Red Feather Development Group,

a non-profit serving housing needs on the Hopi and Navajo reservations and the Western Agency of the Department

of Navajo Veteran Affairs made the Navajo Code Talker’s dream come true on Saturday. When Dan Akee saw the

renovated house for the first time, he couldn’t believe what he saw as he was clearly emotionally touched in front of

over 65 family members and friends who had come to bless the house and celebrate this special moment with him.

Russel Begaye, President of the Navajo Nation thanked everyone and especially Red Feather for completing what

had been begun 90 days before. “Wow, the house is amazing and benefitting of a national WWII hero and

inspiration of the Navajo Nation.” Over 2,200 volunteer hours were donated, $30,000 raised through

generosity.com and over $50,000 in materials were donated for the project. Dan Akee is one of 10 remaining

Navajo Code Talkers from WWII. Dan Akee is finally home.

Tuba City, AZ, February 10, 2016 – Retired Sergeant Major Dan Akee survived 4 tours of duty as a Navajo

Code Talker in World War II. He was in harm’s way every day as he coded and decoded military messages using

the sacred language of the Navajo nation. The code was never broken by the Japanese and for over 20 years after

the war, the Navajo Code Talkers’ secret missions were not discussed as it was considered “classified”.

Dan Akee is a patient man. Dan Akee is a brave man. However, on Saturday, February 6th not even the war hero

could contain his emotion as he saw for the first time the completed renovation of the house he loved and for which

his only wish was to “go home” to this house he had built himself 60 years before.

“As Dan Akee was wheel chaired into his house by the President of the Navajo Nation Russell Begaye with his

eldest son Danny Akee by his side, there was complete silence and a sense of awe. All the love of the 127

volunteers who spent over 2,200 hours working on the house could be felt. We all had tears in our eyes and the

pg. 2

look of disbelief on Dan’s face was priceless. Dan whispered to the crowd, ‘This is my house!’ and then he wiped

tears from his eyes,” reported Mark Hall, Executive Director of Red Feather Development Group. Red Feather

provided management for the project and is a non-profit serving reservation housing solutions for the Navajo and

Hopi nations. Red Feather partnered with the Western Agency of the Department of Navajo Veteran Affairs to

design, implement and complete the renovation project in less than 90 days.

For the last 3 months, Dan Akee and his wife Margaret sat in the trailer next to the house they were forced to move

out of 6 years before. They watched as hundreds of volunteers were busy inside the house insulating the walls,

installing fixtures, dry walling, painting and 100 other renovation activities. Dan vowed to not see the house until it

was completely finished. Dan Akee kept his promise.

Dan Akee is one of the last 10 remaining Navajo Code Talkers from WWII and is 94 years old. “We are all

incredibly proud to have done something so wonderful for Dan Akee, who is a veteran hero and an inspiration to

the Navajo nation,” said Eunice Begay, Veteran Service Officer for the Western Agency of Navajo Veterans

Affairs. “It really felt like we all came home with Dan and his wife Margaret, we couldn’t be more proud.”

Begay and her construction crew were instrumental in bringing the project to life and seeing its completion. The

Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs construction crew completed a new roof, the replacement of double paned

windows and updated the structural frame in record time. Ms. Begay noted that the new ADA accessible floor plan,

the new bathroom to accommodate his wheelchair and the accessible kitchen means that Dan and Margaret are safe

in their newly renovated home. Volunteer teams completed two bathroom remodels, a kitchen with new appliances

and installed with hardwood floors throughout the house. Operation Enduring Gratitude of Phoenix sent two of

their veterans to deliver the kitchen appliances and complete the construction of the wheel chair ramp that students

of the Tuba City High School had designed. “It was like magic the way it came together,” said Norena Gutierrez,

Director of Development & Communications for Red Feather. “It is the most beautiful wheel chair ramp I have

ever seen and I know that Dan will enjoy sitting in the sunshine looking out on his view of the mesa from there.”

“Saturday was the day we were all waiting to share with Dan and Margaret Akee and the Akee family. We know

how much this means to them to finally come home to the house they love,” commented Mark Hall, Executive

Director of Red Feather Development Group. Red Feather has been creating solutions to reservation housing for

over 20 years.

The house was blessed by the Akee pastor Pastor Preston following the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Mark Hall and

Eunice Begay welcomed the crowd and made heart-felt thank you’s to their organizations, and sponsors APS,

pg. 3

Home Depot, Operation Enduring Gratitude. The Home Depot team honored Mr. Akee with a customized shadow

box for the display of all his medals. The spokesman for the Akee Family, Danny Akee remarked with tears in his

eyes, “Everyone who worked on my Dad’s house made his dream come true for him to ‘go home’, there are simply

no words enough to thank you, but our hearts are full. He is so happy and now he is home.”

Dan Akee first apologized to the group gathered by saying he was sorry that he got sick with pneumonia and had

just been released from the hospital the day before. “I thank each and every one of you for all you did. And I can’t

say more,” as he wiped tears from his eyes.

Red Feather raised over $30,000 on generosity.com from individual donors throughout the United States and

abroad. Another $50,000 of In-Kind services and goods were donated by over 20 businesses and corporations. The

secret to the success of the project was over 2,200 hours in volunteer labor donated by over 120 high school

students, veterans and community members of Tuba City, Phoenix and Flagstaff.

Dan Akee is one of 10 Navajo Code Talkers left in the United States. He was one of the 44,000 Native Americans

who served in the US Military during WWII and one of the 450 Navajo code talkers trained to code and decode

secret messages. Retired Sergeant Major Akee is one of three code talkers still alive from his regiment. Dan Akee

currently lives on the Navajo reservation with his wife, Margaret. He raised 12 children, nine who are still living,

in the renovated house. At last count, he has 112 grandchildren, and he hopes they all will come home to visit.

Dan Akee is in a wheelchair fulltime and was hospitalized for pneumonia this last week and last Fall. Akee took

part in some of the worst fighting in WWII including tours at Marshall Islands, Saipan, Tinian and two campaigns

at Iwo Jima. During the war, the Navajo code was never broken by the Japanese.

When Dan Akee was asked what he will be doing now. He just smiled and said, “I’m go ing to take it easy now.”

After all the guests left, that’s exactly what Dan Akee did, he sat in front of the word burning stove with his wife

and grandchildren and they just enjoyed a quiet moment together in their house that they previously thought would

never happen.

Red Feather will host a Community Celebration luncheon on February 13 from 1PM to 3PM at the home of Lily

Akee, which is located next to the Dan Akee’s newly renovated home to honor and thank over 120 volunteers for

their time and efforts. All volunteers who contributed to the Dan Akee “Going Home” Project are encouraged to

attend the luncheon celebration provided by the Akee family and sponsored by APS. For more information, please

call the Red Feather office in Flagstaff at 980-440-5119.

pg. 4

Red Feather would like to thank the following for their contributions: Arizona Public Service (APS), Home Depot,

Operation Enduring Gratitude Veterans of Phoenix, HomCo Lumber & Hardware, Western Agency of the

Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs, Nizhoni Ranch Gallery, Stacey Wittig - Writer and Photographer, Pueblo

Electric of Las Vegas, NV, Bleekers Boxes, Western Technologies Inc., Jeremy Stinek -Video Editor, Terry

Lewis- Electrician, Thomas Deel Jr. - Welding & Carpentry, Martin Hurlson - Drywall, Rickey Butler - Carpentry,

Allen Preston – Carpentry, Focal Point Eyewear, Inc – Samanthia Max, Saraphina Adson - Navajo Hopi Honor

Riders, Nolan Dempsey - Backhoe Operator, Frederick Aspey - Attorney at Law, Glenn & Renee Wright -

BARIndustries, Inc., Steve Roberts – General Contractor, David Behrens - Artist of “Vision and Valor”, and Chef

Basil Kimbrew of California.

Donations are still being accepted until February 16. If you would like to make a donation:

1. Go to Generosity.com and make a donation of any size

2. Go to the Red Feather website at www.redfeather.org and mark your donation for

the Dan Akee “Going Home” Project

3. Call the Red Feather office in Flagstaff, AZ, at 928-440-5119

Contact Information:

Norena Gutierrez, Director of Development & Communications

Red Feather Development Group

2501 N. 4th Street, Suite 17, Flagstaff, AZ 86004

928-440-5119

www. Redfeather.org

###

Pictures are all courtesy of Norena Gutierrez, Red Feather Development Group

Please refer to the Red Feather DropBox for high resolution photos and more information.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6qy359pxduvc4ns/AAAey7-Q-RbWGObPLM_q8FCba?dl=0

pg. 5

Russell Begaye, (left) President of the Navajo Nation and eldest son Danny Akee (right) escorted Dan Akee,

Navajo Code Talker into his newly renovated home for the first time.

Dan Akee and his wife Margaret shared a personal and emotional moment of extreme gratitude for the blessing of

return to live in the home they had to leave 6 years ago when it had become uninhabitable. Red Feather and the

Western Agency of the Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs completed the renovation in 90 days and made a

hero’s wish come true.

pg. 6

Dan Akee raised 12 children and 122 grandchildren in the house he built with his own hands. Family celebrated

with Dan Akee on the renovation of the house.

Overwhelmed Danny Akee, eldest son and daily caretaker of his father Dan Akee, Navajo Code Talker and his wife

Margaret shared a personal thank you with Mark Hall,

Executive Director of Red Feather Development Group. Mark never doubted that it was all possible.

pg. 7

Dan Akee said, “I just want to take it easy now.” After the guests left, the Akees had their first quiet moment in

their home sitting in front of the wood burning fireplace in complete gratitude (and a little shock) for how very

beautiful their home is now.

Pastor Preston blessed the new Dan Akee so that nor harm would befall the house and that Dan Akee would enjoy

all the days of his life in his beautiful new house. Russell Begaye, President of the Navajo Nation joined in sharing

the blessings of all the work that had been done to answer Dan Akee’s prayer.

pg. 8

APS representatives, Jerry Mendoza, Weatherization Program Manager, and Nonie Black Elk, Administrative

Coordinator - Renewable Energy and Native American Networking Organization board member, join the Akees.

APS donated a team of volunteers, insulation, LED bulbs and financial support to assist in the completion of the

project.

Home Depot Jason Langston of Flagstaff #482 and Kenny Rediger of Flagstaff East #421 were on hand to welcome

Dan Akee, Navajo Code Talker home to his renovated house. Home Depot donated their Team Depot volunteers to

paint the inside of the house, and financial contributed to the project.

pg. 9

Finishing the Wheel chair ramp was critical to the project. Operation Eternal Gratitude, a veteran organization out

of Phoenix donated the kitchen appliances and supplied the labor with Wallace Begay of the Western Agency of the

Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs. It is one of the most beautiful wheel chair ramps on the Navajo Nation.

Wilfred Kaye of the Hopi Nation was completing the final touches on the house and cleaning before guests arrived

for the Ribbon Cutting and House Blessing. Over 120 volunteers donated over 2,200 hours to complete the

renovation.

pg. 10

(L to R) Red Feather Executive Director Mark Hall partnered with Eunice Begay of the Western Agency of the

Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs and team construction lead Wallace Begaye to complete the project in

record time.

An important partnership was formed with the Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, the Western Agency of the

Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs Eunice Begay and the non-profit Red Feather Development Group

Executive Director Mark Hall.

pg. 11

BEFORE and AFTER Photos of the AKEE HOUSE

The entrance to the house BEFORE The AFTER wheel chair ramp that is safe

BEFORE The Kitchen was split between two rooms. AFTER the kitchen is in one room with the living area

having a wood burning stove for heat throughout the house. The living area was redesigned for ADA accessibility

to the Master Bedroom and Bathroom. A laundry room was added and the mud room entry enhanced.

BEFORE the roof was leaking and tiles would fly off in windstorms. AFTER the roof is sturdy and will be strong

for another 15 years.

pg. 12

BEFORE the Master Bathroom had not been used for over 7 years and could not accommodate the disabilities that

Dan Akee now incurred with his age. AFTER the bathroom was designed to allow his wheel chair to be easily

accommodated for showering for his safety. The 2nd bathroom was plumbed in the original house but never

completed. This is the completed 2nd bathroom (Right)

BEFORE The outside had not been painted in several years and every window was broken. AFTER the new

double pane windows installed aid insulation. The painting and trim of the outside updates the curb appeal.