SEATTLE, June 26, 2017 -- The supporters of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) come from all walks of life, and their generosity allows WWP to provide free, life-changing programs and services to injured veterans, their caregivers, and family members. Recently, Will Bruin of the Seattle Sounders Football Club used his platform as a professional athlete to raise awareness for WWP and request support from his fans and followers during the Give Big Seattle charity event.
"The military was a big part of my local experience when I lived in Houston," Will said. "I played for the Houston Dynamo for the first six years of my professional football career, and one of the guys I knew there was very involved in the armed forces. I looked up to him when I was younger and just learning my way in the sport."
In December 2016, Will was traded to the Seattle Sounders. When he arrived in the Pacific Northwest city, he noticed something was very different right away.
GILROY, Calif., June 23, 2017 -- The donors who support Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) and its mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors come from all walks of life. Video game enthusiast and Twitch streamer Sean Brendle recently decided to use his passion to raise money for WWP during a 24-hour gaming marathon.
"At first I was just thinking about how I wanted to do something for Memorial Day," Sean said. "And when I thought about other people on Twitch doing charity streams, I linked up with a veteran buddy of mine and said 'hey, let's do a 24-hour stream for Wounded Warrior Project; maybe we can raise some money for them over the weekend.'"
Sean is an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army, and some members of his unit have connected with WWP previously. Some of his friends have also personally been empowered through the programs and services WWP offers, so Sean saw it as a way to also say thanks for assisting the people in his life.
ORLANDO, Fla., June 22, 2017 -- Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) offers intense all-male, all-female, or all-couples multi-day mental health workshops for veterans coping with the invisible wounds of war. These help warriors and their families maintain healthy, meaningful relationships while pursuing life goals – free from the stigmas associated with mental health issues.
"I've been in a place where hope doesn't exist," said Joseph Willis, U.S. Army veteran from Titusville, Florida. "I've been blown up three times during my deployments, and now I struggle with post-traumatic stress and a traumatic brain injury. I attended the mental health workshop because I wanted to find the hope I lost."
SEVEN HILLS, Ohio, June 21, 2017 -- At the end of his career in the United States Marine Corps, Brian Brannigan had achieved the rank of captain. He served in Afghanistan for one tour in 2012 as a combat engineer and wanted to help his brothers and sisters in arms continue their education. He graduated from the University of San Diego with a master's degree in global leadership.
"He achieved it one week before he lost his battle at home," his mother, Diane, said. "He was humble and honorable, and Brian spoke highly of his fellow Marines."
His mother remembers him as dynamic, adventurous, and intelligent, despite his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Brian used the tools around him to get help – both through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). He first connected with WWP in 2015 through a golf outing for veterans, where he benefited from the mentorship of other warriors around him.
NEW YORK, June 19, 2017 -- Registration is open for the public to participate in the 10th annual Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Soldier Ride® Community Rides that will take place in July near New York City. Soldier Ride is a multi-day bicycling event, where injured veterans are challenged to push themselves physically and mentally as they manage visible and invisible wounds of war. And they don't ride alone – they move forward together, as a unit, just like during their military service.
Community Rides are similar – and special in that the public can take part – yet they're more than just a chance to pedal alongside our nation's wounded warriors. Community Rides are an opportunity to show support and raise critical funds that allow WWP to connect warriors with programs and services that empower them to live their lives on their terms, free of charge.
