WW II sailor denied spot at Halifax veterans hospital finally gets a bed

After decades of helping veterans receive proper care, Gordon Smith has finally won his own battle. 

Smith was told Monday there's a bed for him at Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Hospital in Halifax.

"When he called me, he was very excited," said his granddaughter Sabrina Smith. "I could tell by his voice when he called that he had good news."

Gordon Smith initially applied for a bed in May, but was denied because he wasn't a Canadian when he served in the Second World War. The 91-year-old was with the British navy at the time, but immigrated to Canada after the war and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a firefighter for 18 years.

Upon retiring from Canada's air force, Smith volunteered for another 20 years with the Royal Canadian Legion, visiting veterans in long-term care to ensure they were getting the care they needed.

When he was initially rejected from Camp Hill, his family thought it was an isolated case. Sabrina Smith said they never imagined his story would spark national public outcry.

"I think for me, and for my family, and especially for my granddad, it was really heartening to know that Canadians still value what had been done so many years ago, what they had gone through, and what they fought for," she said. 

Veterans Affairs reversed the decision in mid-November, opening up more than two dozen beds to allied and modern-day veterans. At the time, there were 30 people on a waiting list, so Smith wasn't guaranteed a space in the hospital.

"Hopefully we'll hear more stories of people who have moved off the list in the future," said Sabrina Smith.

Gordon Smith and his family will visit the hospital on Friday and make arrangements for his move. Sabrina Smith said the family is grateful for all the public support.

"It was really heartening to see the population could move the government so quickly," she said.

Once her grandfather is settled, she fully expects him to continue advocating for veterans.