HERO 1 2010

Hero 1 2010, an Army veteran, served in Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of a team that addressed aerial assaults on his base. Our Hero was exposed to mortar attacks and other combat events and continues to struggle with medical issues as a result.

Our Hero lives with his parents who are both disabled and younger siblings. Our Hero and his family have been struggling with financial hardship for a long time, and were homeless at one time. As our Hero is the oldest, he feels his family depends on him the most and he wants to be able to provide for them. His goal is to return to school and finish college.

The monies we anticipate to raise by the 2010 event will certainly go a long way to providing our Hero with some much needed financial and emotional relief! Our Hero is hopeful to return to a normal life and is extremely thankful for the assistance the WHOH event will provide to he and his family.

HERO 2 2010

Hero 2 2010, an Army veteran, served in Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of a convoy that received dead bodies. Our Hero was exposed to major combat events during his deployment and continues to struggle with medical issues as a result.

Our Hero lives with his wife and two children. Unfortunately, while our Hero was deployed, he rented his home to tenants who failed to pay the rent and stole various appliances from his home as well. The results were near foreclosure for our Hero. Since his return, our Hero has been struggling to get back on his feet physically, emotionally and financially. Due to his injuries, our Hero has been unable to work at this time, but would like to be able to provide for his family.

Joe Grignoli and Corey Jordan met our Hero in June and this meeting had a profound effect on them. When we introduced our Hero as a recipient for the 2010 WHOH, he openly wept and hugged us to show his gratitude! In fact, we have already begun to provide some assistance to our Hero prior to the 2010 WHOH event as he had some immediate issues to resolve and turned to WHOH for help.

The severity of his situation is our clearest example to date to validate the why we all participate in the Welcoming Home our Heroes effort!

HERO 3 2010

Hero 3 2010 is a young man who served as a combat medic in Iraq and physically injured there. Since returning home, he has been working part-time as a per diem nursing assistant, and attending school full-time in the Occupational Therapy program at Suffolk Community College.

In January, his mother died in the earthquake in Haiti and he became guardian to his 15 year old sister, who was seriously injured in the quake. As she continues to heal, his plan is to bring her back to NY so that she can be with him and his cousins here. He talks to her everyday, and she has been staying with extended family there, but Hero 3 worries about her safety and health.

Given all the stress he has been under, he continues to put his sister’s needs ahead of his, and still excels in school. Hero 3 has been well known by the VA staff for a very long time. He is very reluctant to seek or accept help, but he is in great need at this time, and would use the funds appropriately.