Inspired, Oscar began personalizing each cane with decals of the veterans’ units and medals. It took him over two years to complete those first 500 canes, and his stock of wood was running low.

Bay City Lean on me: Michigan Woodcarvers Association's ornate canes honor vets in Bay County and beyond Updated: Nov. 11, 2014, 11:30 a.m. | Published: Nov. 11, 2014 ...

Ladwig will give the Eagle Presentation Cane he carved to a Marine from Campbellsport, Wis., Lance Cpl. Joshua Wege, who lost both legs in Afghanistan.

It took him over two years to complete those first 500 canes, and his stock of wood was running low. But a few days after Christmas, he got a call from a friend who worked at Lowe's Home Improvement.