Like many veterans, there’s two sides to Frank Olivares’ life.
The Olivares many know now is a follower of Jesus, a humble, patient soul that wouldn’t hurt even the most persistently pesky fly. He’s a person that picks up hitchhikers without worry, that knows all of his customers’ names by heart and whose generosity of kindness knows no limits.
It’s nearly impossible to imagine a version of him before the Gulf War, or even in it. From a brawler through high school that feared where his life was turning, to a scrappy machine gunner looking for his next mark, it’s all a part of what makes him the beloved community member that he is today.
A sharp bell strikes out as a family leaves his Riverside restaurant, signifying another happy customer come and gone. Olivares thanks them for coming with the familiarity of old friends, inquiring about their families, while the restaurant’s eyes watch with curiosity.
He’s built a life for himself here among a community that will support him through any hardship, and vice versa, but life was not always so easy.
Who was Frank Olivares before he was a beloved community member, a successful entrepreneur with a bid for county judge? Before he served as a machine gunner in the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, also known as the Suicide Charley Marine Company, embodying the pride of never stopping, no matter how bad the circumstances, and leaving it all on the battle field?
Olivares was and always will be a home town boy, a Walker County native aspiring for more.
To Read More Click Here Copyright Michelle Wulfson | The Item Nov 11, 2021