Woman set for journey to return military uniforms found in Lexington dumpster to Texas family

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - A pair of Army uniforms will take a thousand mile journey to where they belong this weekend.

Two years ago, they were found in a Lexington dumpster. Now, the woman who found them, Donna Parker, is finally able to return them to family.

Parker says she’s anxious, excited, nervous, just a slew of emotions, as she gets ready to go to Texas on Saturday morning.

When we first introduced you to her earlier this month, she had just recently matched the uniforms to Sgt. Keith McKenzie. Sadly, he lost a battle with PTSD in 2018. But Donna did find his family, including his young children, living in Waco, Texas.

She was trying to raise money to get there, but the day after our first story aired, Father Jim Sichko took care of airfare and everything to make sure Donna completed her mission.

“We’ve cried a lot on the phone each other, texted back and forth. She actually told us at the beginning of the week that Keith, the son, was saying, ‘I wish I had something of my dad’s,’” said Donna.

Donna told us Friday it’s been an emotional journey these last two years, and admits she gave up for a bit, until she was motivated by a higher power.

“There was a time where I did. I left those suits sitting for about six, seven months and I didn’t mess with them again. Then one day, God hollered at me and was like, ‘Hey, you remember that?’ When I did get that calling back from him, I got them out and started searching again,” said Donna.

She says for her, this is fulfilling a personal promise she made herself over a decade ago when she was in recovery.

“August 26 of this year I celebrated 10 years clean from hard drugs. When I got clean and God saved my life, I promised myself that I would never take away from anyone else. Any time I had an opportunity to give back, I would.”

Donna is donating the money she did raise for air fare to the McKenzie family. The owner of the company Donna works for, New Circle Auto Sales, is also chipping in, which will bring the total to $500.

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