GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Army veteran Randolph Knight dedicated his life to the country, serving 23 years in the military, including during the Vietnam War, and working on rocket launchers.
Now, the 87-year-old is facing a new challenge on the home front: a battle over his benefits, all while coping with stage four prostate cancer and dementia.
These days, in the trenches with Randolph is his wife, Shirley Knight.
She schedules his Department of Veterans Affairs appointments in Nashville and Murfreesboro and fights for the benefits he earned. Shirley's help became especially essential after Randolph's cancer diagnosis at the end of 2024.
"She has virtually saved my life," said Randolph Knight.
The couple received a letter from the VA on Dec. 15, which served as official proof that Randolph's disability rating qualified him for certain programs.
"Are you considered to be totally and permanently disabled due to your service-connected disabilities: yes," said Shirley Knight, as she read off the paper.
When the Knights went to pay their property taxes at the Sumner County Trustee's Office, they brought the letter with them, expecting it would get them qualified for the state's property tax relief program for disabled veterans.
Some time passed. Then, they received a letter from the State Comptroller's Office saying they did not qualify.
"So I called the number, and they said it was the VA. I called VA, and I told her I had paperwork stating he's 100% disabled, total permanent, service-connected. And that's when they told me there'd been a discrepancy," Shirley said.
The VA said their paperwork should have listed a temporary 100% disability rating for Randolph, not a permanent one.
Veterans benefits experts said because the VA considers cancer a condition that could improve, Randolph did not qualify for benefits that could have eased their burden.
"He will be on medicine and treatments for the rest of his life. It's already stage four. It's moved to his bones. He also will be taking a bone strengthening treatment once a year. So, his won't go into remission. It's permanent," Shirley said.
"Like glue," Randolph added.
During these precious moments together, this stress is the last thing the family needs.
"I just want somebody to be accountable, and I want somebody to stand up, take responsibility. Ya know, and nobody does," Shirley said.
I’ve reached out to the VA for more information on the disability rating criteria and Randolph’s case. The process has been slow, but the VA’s national headquarters told me Monday that they need a few more days to review the details and hope to provide an official response by the end of this week or early next week.
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