CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — The latest winner of our Hyundai Hometown Hero program had some of the most well-known people in Chester County come out to show their support after multiple nominations.
Commander Al Boyd served in the U.S. Army for more than two decades, but he brought his leadership back to Chester County to try to give veterans and future soldiers something to fight for.
We sat down with him at his home two days before we revealed he won at a Charlotte Knights home game.
“Everything that I do, God has equipped me for. This goes to show that people still believe in others who are trying to do what they think is the right thing," Boyd told WCNC Charlotte.
Sitting in Al Boyd’s five-acre home in Chester County, with hummingbirds dotting and zipping through, he recalls his life-altering move from Blackstock South Carolina to the bustling city of Chester as a boy.
“We brought our hogs and our chickens. It was like the Beverly Hillbillies," Boyd exclaimed.
For Boyd, Chester was the start of it all: His commitment to his community and his country, joining the U.S. Army. After two decades in the service, Boyd came back to his roots, using his experience to pour into future soldiers by starting a junior ROTC team.
“We’re talking about a group of kids who had never been to a Japanese restaurant and have never been outside South Carolina," Boyd said.
After taking the team to a National Drill Championship, Boyd started to see that his community needed more.
He splits his time between the American Legion, Commander of the Disabled American Veterans Unit in Chester County and is intricately involved with planning events at his local church. And if you leave it to him, he’s humble about his retired but working schedule. But he’s made an impression with people from all over Chester that he’s directly impacted.
When it came to the big night, Boyd knew he was a winner. The elation and excitement were hard for him to hide. Even our friends with the Charlotte area Hyundai dealers understand the importance of a moment like this.
Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.