Meet Neil Gallagher

We were lucky to catch up with Neil Gallagher recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Neil, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Both of my grandfathers served in the Second World War. Like many of their generation, they never spoke of their time in the service, and when they passed away, their experiences were lost forever. When I was around 12, I began volunteering at local veterans organizations and begun asking the veterans if they would share their stories with me. Eventually, a veteran asked if I wanted to interview him. Since that first interview, I have been honored to interview over 150 WWII, Korea, and Vietnam veterans. This has become my purpose, and I am truly fortunate to record their stories for future generations.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Since 2008, I have interviewed over 150 World War Two, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans to preserve their stories for future generations. Recently, we have begun to post these interviews on YouTube and other channels so that they are available to all. This year, we hope to attend the 80th anniversary of Iwo Jima to record the stories of the survivors.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The quality that has benefited me the most since beginning this series is empathy. These men and women have endured more than many can comprehend. By allowing them to dictate the interview, I feel I have given them a platform that will enable them to share parts of their story that they wish and avoid the things they do not wish to discuss.

Developing my research skills has also greatly benefited my interview abilities. Since learning how to better research the veterans units prior to our interview, I feel the quality of our conversation has greatly increased.

I also feel the ability to keep going after setbacks has benefited me greatly. Many of these veterans are in the last stage of their lives, and it took a while for me to realize that I couldn’t get to all of them in time, all you can do is your best.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

I would definitely say time and funding are our biggest challenges. This project has been self-funded, but we recently registered as a nonprofit so that we could apply for grants. Travel expenses are our most significant hindrance to reaching more veterans, especially since fewer and fewer are able to be interviewed. We seem to be in a race against time.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Neil Gallagher

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,