OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) – The Best of 90 Plus takes us to St. Landry Parish where a man spent 20 years fighting fires. Vernal Soileau, Sr., 91 of Opelousas keeps faith close to his heart and his family even closer.
As time ticks by, Soileau recalls his firefighting days back in the early 1960’s. He retired as a fire district Captain. “I think only three of us are living out of all of these men,” explains Soileau.
Born in 1926, Vernal remembers when prices were low and wages were truly earned. “We worked for maybe a dollar a day, if you could make a dollar a day,” says Soileau.
This is the home where Vernal grew up in Grand Prairie, Louisiana. Vernal says he remembers the good times and the bad when his brother drowned trying to save someone else. “My brother went to try to save him and he caught him around the neck and they both drowned. My mother didn’t want to stay there anymore,” adds Soileau.
Vernal has a large family. His wife has passed away. They have six children, 15 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Vernal has come to learn Facebook. “I have two sons who are preachers. One is a contractor and he preaches too,” says Soileau.
Vernal started out selling Budweiser Beer for a living. He says he did well. “I was making so much money around 1957 to 1961 but I wasn’t happy.”
Vernal decided he had to make a change. He says it was his faith that showed him the change he needed to make. “This young man just had a can of beer and left the place and ran into a culvert and got killed. That was the end. I said no more.”
Vernal became a fireman with a fire truck eventually named after him. “They’re better prepared today than we were. We didn’t have all the proper preparations that they have today you know.”
Vernal explains that if he could, there’s one thing he would go back and do different. “I would be on the streets knocking on doors telling people about the Lord Jesus Christ,” says Soileau.
Vernal says he was in the Navy. In terms of career choice, he explains that in high school he wanted to be veterinarian.
