They Sacrifice So Much

I want to share with you how you impacted the life of Chris, his wife and daughter. Chris came to me through his counselor in Iowa, a Veteran friend. She has been to our golf outing and loves what we are doing for Veterans. She reached out to me to see if Chris could come to our golf outing to be around other Soldiers and hopefully find himself again. Chris had done 2 tours in Iraq as an Infantryman, during 2007-2009 and 2010-2011, some of the hardest years during that war. After that he was assigned to the Honor Guard at Arlington Cemetery. He was assigned to do dignified transfers at Dover Air Base. This became a very hard assignment for him after all he went through in Iraq. He had been in multiple explosions in Iraq and was struggling with the symptoms of his TBI and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). Thankfully, he had a failed attempt at taking his own life. He was in a very dark place when he came to our golf outing. It was quite healing for him to be around other Veterans and feel comfortable around others who are walking his walk. He realized he was ok for not being ok, he wasn’t weak. After talking with him I asked him if he would go back to his wife and ask her to stay strong and committed to their marriage until we could get him through brain treatment. I wanted him to have a second chance. She called me and we talked for a long time about how his brain injury was presenting itself through his behaviors. She loved him and wanted to give him that chance. We got him into treatment, and he did so well. He started feeling a difference in less than 48 hours. His anxiety subsided so much in the first couple of days that his wife was able to tell on a phone call.

Hear Chris in his own words, how you helped change his life.

The Difference You Make

Chris continues to do well. His wife has seen major improvements in him and they continue to grow in their relationship together and with their 8 year old daughter. He is so appreciative of his progress that he has worked out a fund raiser with his local gym to help another Veteran get treatment!

I believe we have found the most effective tool in combatting Veteran suicide among Veterans with TBI. Sadly, little is being done by the DOD and the VA, so I will continue to carry the torch to help as many as I can with what I am given. We have a strong partnership with CoastXCoast, a Non-Profit organization of former Special Forces Veterans who believe in this program. Together, we are getting their guys through the program. It is one of my highest honors to have gained the trust of these great warriors and be able to help facilitate their treatment.

Your investment in Defenders of Freedom is making a huge difference. As we move into this season of Thanksgiving and love, please consider us for your year-end donations.  

There are several ways you can give;

·       SMILESAMAZON: You can choose us as your preferred charity and Amazon gives us a portion of the sales for every item you purchase.

·       GIVING TUESDAY is a national day of giving for donors on November 30, 2021

·       STOCKS: Donate shares you need to liquidate through our Ameritrade account, and you receive the full value of the donation.

·       DONATE at our website

or send a check

Another easy way to help us out is to like and share our content from our YouTube Channel and FaceBook Page. This really helps us with more visibility.

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving season with your friend and family. We all have much to be grateful for!

Warm Regards,

Donna