Meet Y.Z. Helms, Jr.

Born on his dad’s birthday, Y.Z. Helms, Jr. is a true Seadrift native! Seadrift is his birthplace and Seadrift is his home. He will be 95 this coming January!

He has always been self-employed and has owned a number of seafood businesses.

During WWII he served in the Air Force repairing damaged aircraft in the European theatre. He repaired the “L-4”, “L-5”, gliders, and the Russian Yak. His life has been miraculously spared three times. Once he narrowly missed being killed in his tent. All total he served our country almost seven years. Y.Z. received five medals for his service.

Y. Z. retired from the seafood business because of a bout with cancer. His hobby is building model boats which he is very good at!

Y. Z.’s advice to the younger generation is to “find something they like to do, go to school, trust in God, and they will have success.”

This is the seventh in the “Seadrift Legacy” series.
By Tanya DeForest