Durbin Emerson

Durbin Emerson's commitment to supporting veterans stems from a profound experience that shaped her understanding of service and sacrifice. As she recalls: “I have no military background, but I did graduate from college in 1973, the era of Vietnam and a time of tremendous turmoil in so many aspects of our lives.”

In November of 1982, the Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. At the time, Durbin and her husband were living in Alexandria, VA with their 3-year-old and 7-month-old daughters. After taking the children for haircuts, she felt compelled to stop at the National Cathedral where the names of the Vietnam War Memorial Wall were being read.

“At the time the reading was being done in the War Chapel which is a relatively small space beneath the nave of the Cathedral. At first, my children and I were the only ones there, but then I noticed several men in dark suits and a college classmate of mine that I knew worked in New York for a network news program. I asked her what she was doing there and she said, 'The better question is, what are you doing here? President and Mrs. Reagan will be here any minute!' Within a few minutes, President and Mrs. Reagan came in and sat a few rows in front of us.”

“To be in that lovely chapel at that moment, to listen to those names being read with my precious children and the President of the United States was an experience that to this day gives me chills. My only regret is that Tyler, now the mother of our two adorable grandchildren, and Alex were too young to remember or appreciate the significance of what happened, but I never get tired of telling them how special that day in November was.”

Since that transformative experience, Durbin has never been able to pass a person in military uniform without trying to thank them for their service. Harbour House, and now Fisher House, is a way to do that on an ongoing basis and has given her a purpose in her life for which she is profoundly grateful.