If there is one thing Bob Lowe believes more than anything else, it’s that anyone has the ability to help.

“I very much identify as a strong supporter of Valerie’s House, not a donor,” said Bob. “I’m able to donate because I’ve been very fortunate, but anyone can be a supporter, in some way, for free.”

Since Bob first learned about Valerie’s House’s mission to help grieving children and families in 2018, he has been an incredible friend and supporter of the organization’s families. From helping with countless community fundraisers to helping lay the foundation for the Val’s PALs mentoring program, Bob has made a profound impact on so many young lives.

Bob has been a mentor of three Valerie’s House teens over the past four years. Dillon, to the left, and his grandmother, Virginia, credit Bob with helping steer Dillon in the direction of service, as his relationship with Bob sparked an interest in attending the Fire Academy after he graduated from Fort Myers High School.

Bob says his upbringing and military family for his desire to identify the needs of others and assist in any way he can. It’s this mindset that led him to be a supporter of the grieving families Valerie’s House helps.

After serving three and a half years in the air force and the death of his roommate during the Vietnam War, Bob made a life for himself in the steel industry, where he worked for the next four decades. He is naturally compassionate and often finds himself gathering wisdom from his elders and coaching younger team members.

“You learn so much from others,” he said. “Everyone you meet can expose you to something new if you give them the chance.”

Bob celebrates military veterans by hosting annual luncheons and fundraisers that recognize their sacrifice. While they have been put on hold during the pandemic, he is eager to begin hosting these events again. It was during one of the last luncheons that Bob met his second Valerie’s House mentee, Mason, who is pictured here to the right.

“All of my mentees actually end up teaching me things I didn’t know,” Bob laughed.

Lately, Bob has been mentoring a third Valerie’s House teen, 17-year-old Marcel, who lost his father eight years ago. Bob and Marcel meet weekly and have been focused on the college application process. These relationships, and the guidance and support he has been able to share through them, are his favorite part of volunteering with Valerie’s House.

“I’m involved because I saw that there was so much good being done here,” said Bob. “I’m just a guy trying to make the most of what he’s been given, and I feel blessed every day.”