This is the first of a series of articles written by Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Professor Dr. Rhonda Breedlove’s Appalachian Literature class. The stories are tributes to individuals who have helped to mold this region into what it is today, had a significant role in the history of the region, or reflect the culture and customs of Appalachia. Dr. Breedlove’s class studies culture and specifically, regional Christmas customs. You’ll see the fruits of their learning written on the pages of the Middlesboro Daily News throughout the remainder of the semester.

SKCTC Appalachian Literature class

With all of the beauty, resources and treasures this Appalachian region has to offer, one of the greatest gifts is an individual who possesses the heart of all that this magical area represents. Just about everyone in Middlesboro knows of Ernie Jacobs, whether it be from seeing him have his morning coffee with his McDonald’s family or sitting in his front yard in his plastic white chair watching the cars go by. Some of us remember Ernie when he did flips on the front lawn of the Appalachian Regional Hospital. However one chooses to think about Ernie, the fact of the matter is… Everyone remembers Ernie.

Ernie Jacobs was born the 24th day of February in 1915 to Lebanese immigrants, Anna and John Jacobs. He was one of six children; Ernie being the youngest. Ernie was second generation Lebanese. Ernie’s father John, to earn a living for his family, peddled goods up and down the coal camps of Virginia and Kentucky. When Ernie came to Middlesboro in the 1920s, he too peddled goods, only in a much more modern way. Ernie became a sales clerk at Tamer’s Clothing store. Instead of spending his paychecks on luxuries for himself, he began to give to the community.

Before clocking in at Tamers, every morning Ernie would purchase eighty newspapers and personally deliver them to area hospital and nursing home patients. After delivering the papers to each patient, Ernie would then be off to work; however, the work day did not end at 5 p.m. for Ernie. Upon leaving Tamer’s in the evenings, Ernie would be back at the hospitals to visit the sick. Ernie’s goal was to never leave a hospital room until he made the patient smile. If Ernie got a smile, then he knew he had brought a bit of cheer and happiness to a sick heart.

What would make a single, young bachelor have such a passion for helping and cheering other people and spend his entire life doing so? It seems that Ernie made a vow to God, one that he was faithful to his entire life.

Ernie himself had been very ill in his younger days. In fact, he had 15 surgeries and was even told that he would not live. Ernie felt that his one gift was making people smile, and he promised God that he would spend the rest of his days doing just that. It was a vow that Ernie never broke.

Ernie had many creative ways for putting a smile on the face of a patient. Ernie delivered the newspapers with a personal note attached, “Compliments of Ernie” he wrote. At last count, Ernie had visited over one million people in the Tri-state area. One telling thing about Ernie’s visits is: often he made his way to the hospital on foot. Ernie tread the entire tri-state area — Barbourville to Knoxville and everywhere in between — to keep his vow.

Even though Ernie was a quiet, devout Catholic man, he had a few outstanding adventures in his life. One such adventure was meeting and having his picture made with Elizabeth Taylor. Ernie had several television appearances on local stations. The National Enquirer awarded Ernie with “The Good Samaritan Award”, and he was mentioned in Lebanese Newspapers throughout New York. One of Ernie’s proudest moments of recognition came when LMU awarded him with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion for his humanitarian efforts.

Ernie was born in Norton, Va., but fate led him to the little town of Middlesboro, to do his life’s work by serving others.