Ninety-five-year-old Jack served as a Navy Seabee during WWII and has always had the mind of an engineer. During his time in Guam, Jack designed Quonset huts for the troops who landed on the island. After the war, he spent the majority of his career as an engineer with the City of Seattle until he retired. Though Jack now struggles with health complications and difficulty with his memory, the times he spent early in his career as an engineer are a true source of happiness for Jack.

One of Jack’s fondest memories of his career was working on the Alaskan Viaduct when it was initially being built in 1949. Seventy years later, the City of Seattle broke ground on a new tunnel to replace the viaduct. Jack is proud of his work for the City of Seattle, and when he saw reports on TV about the new tunnel, he struck up a conversation with his physical therapist about it. He shared special memories of working on the original viaduct, which then inspired his community to find a way to get him to see the new tunnel.

Wish of a Lifetime was honored to grant this wish for Jack, and on January 31st, 2019, the City of Seattle put together a very special day for him. Jack traveled downtown with his family and reconnected with his old friend and fellow viaduct engineer, Governor Dan Evans. Dan joined Jack on an exclusive tour of the new tunnel. They spent the day sharing memories and reminiscing about the old days and the rewarding opportunity of working on the original viaduct. It was a truly special day for Jack!