Monday, August 27, 2012

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Boy wins trip to Disney, gives it to fallen soldier’s family

http://news.yahoo.com/video/orlandowesh-16122564/boy-earns-donates-disney-trip-to-fallen-soldier-s-family-29507858.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Forlandowesh-16122564%252Fboy-earns-donates-disney-trip-to-fallen-soldier-s-family-29507858.html A 9-year-old Massachusetts boy who earned an all-expenses-paid Disney World vacation through an innovative Facebook experiment gave the trip away to the family of a soldier killed in Afghanistan. Brendan Haas created the "Soldier for a Soldier" Facebook page in February. Inspired by the story of the guy who, through a series of trades, turned a paper clip into a house, Haas started with a toy soldier and eventually traded up to $900 worth of Disney gift certificates, airfare and hotel credits. On Memorial Day, Haas gave the trip to the family of U.S. Army Lt. Timothy Steele, a 25-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan last year. According to NBC's WHDH-TV affiliate, Haas pulled the name of Liberty Hope Steele, the fallen soldier's now-2-year-old daughter, out of a hat and surprised the Steele family at their Duxbury, Mass., home. Not surprisingly, Haas' gesture was followed by dozens of Facebook comments thanking him. "You're one amazing young man," Ann Marie Smith Braga wrote on the "Soldier for a Soldier" wall. "Our family lives on Hanscom AFB in Bedford, Mass. We are an active duty Army family. I want to thank you from all the Army families here at Hanscom." "What you have done is unheard of in this day and age," April Johnson wrote. "I am so grateful for you and others like you! I am featuring your story in my newsletter. You are a very wonderful boy!" "If everyone was like Brendan there would be no wars," Bob Wade wrote. "Brendan, being 9 years old you may not fully realize how incredibly thoughtful your gift is but someday you will. I hope you continue to do great things in your life. The world needs people like you."

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Firefighters donate Mega Millions

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/firefighters-donate-mega-millions-winnings-ailing-fellow-fireman-183135668.html

Five Albuquerque Station Eight firefighters who won a $10,000 share of the Mega Millions jackpot last week have decided to donate an unspecified part of their winnings to fellow fireman Vince Cordova, who is suffering from a life-threatening tumor.

"We decided to get tickets ten minutes before the sales closed," said Capt. Jed Hyland told local news affiliate KOB. "I ran in shouting that we hit 5 of the 6 numbers."

After convincing their fellow firemen that it wasn't an April Fools' joke, Hyland and his four fellow winners (Steve Keffer, Paul McClure, Clinton Anderson and Si Do) decided to donate part of their winnings to the local firefighters Survival Fund. "Everybody at the station agreed that this would be a good opportunity," Hyland said.

KOAT reports that Cordova, 24, has a rare aggressive tumor that puts pressure on his brain. He'll die if the tumor isn't removed, but life-saving surgery from a specialist in Los Angeles costs several hundred thousand dollars.

While the $10,000 is only a small portion of Cordova's total medical bills, his fellow firemen hope that their donation will help raise awareness and encourage others to donate.

KRQE News 13 reports that Cordova has already undergone two of the three necessary operations, with the final to be performed on Wednesday.

"I'm nervous. I'm scared. I've got these butterflies in my stomach that just won't leave, but I'm hanging in there," Cordova told the station in an interview before his first operation on Saturday. "I can't believe that the fireman b"I just want to tell everyone thank you for standing by me and staying strong," Cordova said. "Thank you for believing in me, and I promise to see you guys soon!"ond is so strong."
The final surgery will be performed by a team of five surgeons and is expected to last at least 10 hours.

"(Cordova) has such a great attitude. He looks at it as another challenge, like he would a structure fire that we face as firemen. He's going to overcome it. He's positive and he's strong—that's the kind of man he is," AFD firefighter Gilbert Baca, who trained Cordova in the academy, told KOAT.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Building for America's Heroes



Mar 13, 2012- 5:36 -
Actor Gary Sinise on his foundation's work

Gary Sinise Visits FOX23 News in the Morning

Gary Sinise Visits FOX23 News in the Morning

Actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise announces that the Gary Sinise Foundation and The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation are partnering as part of their Building for America's Bravest Program to build a "smart home" for Tech Sgt. Joe Wilkinson (USAF Ret.).

Wilkinson has extensive neurological damage following his service in Iraq. Doctors have told him he is suffering from a chronic, multi-symptom illness. The belief is he might have come into contact with toxic chemicals sometime during his tour of duty.

Despite several grueling surgeries, he has lost most of the feeling in his legs -- most likely the result of degenerative nerve damage in his back. Wilkinson is unable to walk and is wheelchair-bound.

The fundraising centerpiece to build Wilkinson a "smart home" will be a concert performed by Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band at the Washington Avenue Armory on Saturday, April 28 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the concert go on sale Monday, March 12 and range in price from $30 to $50 with all proceeds going toward funding the specially-equipped house for Wilkinson, that will allow him to live independently with his wife Lucretia and their children Austin, 13, Kennedi, 10 and Mia, 2.