Everyone dreams of being able to find the job that doesn’t feel like work for them. For Sean Tracy, an employee with Independence Village and the StoryPoint Communities, he not only does his hobby for a living, but in doing so, honors veterans in these retirement communities.
Tracy began work within the retirement community as a resident assistant and did biographies and military models for veterans in his spare time. Over time, his hobby was noticed and became a staple for the community. It wasn’t long before he was offered a full time position doing the work that he finds most fulfilling.
“It took on a life of its own,” Tracy said. “Before I knew it, I had been pulled from being a caregiver and I started doing this full time for the residents in all branches of the military.”
The biography, a photo, and medals from the veteran are displayed within each community’s display case, a highlight of many of the facilities. The most time intensive part of the job for Tracy, though, is creating a museum quality model for each veteran. These models are a direct replica of the vehicle, ship, plane, or other unit the veteran served on. Tracy adds details that are a true testament to his dedication; from the paint color to the serial number, these are true replicas from the veterans past. While these models are gifted to veterans, some of their counterparts have found their way into museums as far away as Germany!
“It’s a hobby, I started off as a kid; my dad used to build models. I would sit there and watch him build WWI planes, and I was amazed by it,” Tracy said. “There’s a model on the Mayor's desk in a city in France. These are museum quality models. I’m very proud of them.”
For Tracy, this job is a dream come true. By providing a service to veterans, he feels he is honoring and thanking them in a way that is not often done.
“I’m lucky because I have the opportunity to take a boyhood hobby and combine that with an interest in history to bestow respect and honor to a veteran,” Tracy said. “I would strongly suggest that people find their own way of thanking and honoring veterans. You’d be amazed what that does for the veteran and for you.”
While many veterans don’t feel deserving of the attention, Tracy is happy to be able to provide this service and remind them that they do deserve this thanks and appreciation. While he’s glad to be able to do a hobby for a living, he claims he’d continue this even if that weren’t the case.
“I’m honored that I get to do what I do for a living,” Tracy said. “They say do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. I haven’t worked for a few years now. If I were rich, I’d do this even if I didn’t need to work.”