On a VA medical campus, one veteran created an escape for others

NPR | By Quil Lawrence

Published June 5, 2026 at 4:44 AM EDT

Through years of controversy and delayed construction, one Iraq veteran has been rehabilitating a Japanese garden in the middle of the on the vast VA campus in West Los Angeles.

Quil Lawrence

Quil Lawrence is a New York-based correspondent for NPR News, covering veterans' issues nationwide. He won a Robert F. Kennedy Award for his coverage of American veterans and a Gracie Award for coverage of female combat veterans. In 2019 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America honored Quil with its IAVA Salutes Award for Leadership in Journalism.

SUSTAIN what matters. BUILD what’s next.

With federal funding eliminated, WKAR relies more than ever on community support to sustain essential services that remain freely available to everyone in mid-Michigan. Your support helps shape what comes next for public media in our region. The best way to support WKAR is by becoming a sustaining member today or by upgrading your current gift. Support WKAR TV Here | Support WKAR Radio Here.