Knoxville veteran prepares for his final wave goodbye

Despite battling lung cancer, Army veteran Kenny Neely continues waving to passers-by in his Rocky Hill neighborhood.
Despite battling lung cancer, Army veteran Kenny Neely continues waving to passers-by in his Rocky Hill neighborhood.

KNOXVILLE - Locally famous for waving at each passing vehicle in his Rocky Hill neighborhood of Knoxville, Army veteran Kenny Neely has been told by his doctors to get his affairs in order. He has lung cancer and is expecting just four to six more months of life. All treatments have stopped, but he says he feels OK, so he continues to sit at the end of his driveway and wave.

Neely waves, that is, unless there's a Tennessee Vols football game on TV. Then he watches with his neighbor, Betsy Norris, who has helped him get to doctors' appointments, fill prescriptions and does other neighborly acts of kindness.

His goal now, aside from waving at his many friends who pass by, is to live until Sept. 10, to see the Vols play Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway. "It's supposed to be the biggest football game ever played," he said. "I hope I get to live to see it."

Read more at our news partner's website, knoxnews.com.

Upcoming Events