Mr. Regan and Board Members of Lead The Way Fund,
Thanks so much for your financial contribution in support of our 40th Anniversary activities over 2-3 October 2014. Our Rangers, past and present, as well as our families had a great time at this event.
Thanks for all that LTWF does for Rangers and Families of 2d BN – your unwaivering support will always be appreciated.
Sincerely,
LTC Jay Bartholomees, CDR 2/75 RGR
Mr. Regan,
Thank you for everything that you do for our Rangers and their families. In my first Company Command at Fort Bliss our FRG struggled to do fundraisers to support even the most meager FRG events. With the help of the Lead The Way Fund, here in 2d Battalion, we can focus on more important tasks and truly support our Rangers and their families.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help from out here in the Pacific Northwest. I will gladly volunteer my time to aid in any way that I can.
Gratefully,
Delta Company Commander
I am writing on behalf of the 2nd Ranger Battalion and the 40th Anniversary Celebration event we had on our installation earlier this month. We wanted to express our appreciation for the contribution you made to the American Lake Club in order for us to hold our Social Event. The event proved to be a major success with over 400 former Rangers attending to reminisce, reacquaint, and just have fun. This event was entirely made possible by your organization and we could never thank you enough.
CPT STEVEN R. GILBERT
BATTALION S5, HQ
2D BATTALION, 75TH RANGER REGIMENT
Thank you to the men of Delta Company 2/75 for your touching tribute to Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund.
We appreciate you thinking of us and thank for all YOU do to keep us safe.
Rangers Lead The Way!!
Jonathan Reid, The Republic | azcentral.com, October 19, 2014
Five years after the roadside bomb blast that left him fighting for his life, Cory Remsburg, the Army Ranger who was honored by President Obama at this year’s State of the Union, is getting some of his independence back.
If all goes to plan, a Gilbert home that several donors are remodeling for him will be ready for move in before Christmas.
The house was purchased earlier this year for $256,000 by Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund, a non-profit that supports disabled U.S. Army Rangers and has assisted Remsburg and his family since he was injured in Afghanistan on Oct. 1, 2009.
Remsburg’s father Craig said the home is a major steppingstone in his son’s recovery. Right now he lives in an apartment with a caregiver.
“They’ve taken everything that Cory needs and are accommodating that so we are very excited for this next step in Cory’s life,” he said.
Lead The Way Fund teamed up with NFL player Jared Allen and his charity Homes For Wounded Warriors to remodel the home so it fits Rembsurg’s needs.
The additions include a wheel-in pool, a therapeutic spa and a large gym for Remsburg’s rehabilitation. A separate guesthouse is being added for his caregiver and doors and hallways are being widened.
“He’ll have his pool to do his exercise, he’ll have an exercise room to do his rehabilitation, he’ll be able to live as much of an independent life as possible,” James Regan, Chairman and CEO of Lead The Way Fund, said.
Construction began this summer and is being handled by veteran-owned Peak One Builders & Restoration in Scottsdale. Ownership of the home was handed over to Remsburg for his 31st birthday earlier this year. The renovation is expected to cost about $413,000, and is being paid for by the two charities and a federal grant.
Remsburg was on his 10th deployment overseas when his platoon was hit by a roadside bomb in Kandajar. He spent three months in a coma and had to relearn how to walk and talk. Today he is blind in his right eye and his left side is partially paralyzed.
Still on active duty, Remsburg is expected to be discharged in 2015 and would like to continue public speaking and supporting various charities. This year alone he has given more than a dozen speeches and later this month will be giving a keynote speech for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s Institute For Caregiving.
Craig Remsburg said the home will significantly help his son’s transition to civilian life.
It “will lessen that stress and burden and allow him to do some other great things he wants to do,” he said. “Everything that will be functioning in the home will allow him to take care of himself and that’s what he wants.”
Allen, who is a defensive end for the Chicago Bears, has become close with the Remsburg family and said working with them has been humbling.
“They are just super welcoming, super friendly and appreciative,” Allen said.
He founded his charity after visiting soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait in 2009.
The goal, Allen said, is to make a daily impact on veterans’ lives. In addition to Remburg’s, his charity is working on seven other veteran’s homes, including two more in Arizona.
“I always say that I get more out of this than what I’m giving because it just humbles me to my core every time,” Allen said.
The Valley’s historic rainfall has delayed construction of the backyard, but Alex Karalexis, project manager for Allen’s charity, said Christmas is still the target.
For each home Allen and his charity remodels, they try to add something special, which Karalexis said can be difficult to do because veterans are usually reluctant to have their homes remodeled in the first place when they see the cost.
“You almost have to convince them to do the project because they always think that there is somebody more deserving,” Karalexis said.
For his special addition, Remsburg chose to have a tiki bar and a memorial.
Remsburg’s father said his son still hasn’t decided on the memorial’s details, but that it will honor soldiers who have lost their lives.
“He wanted to have something that he feels will be a memory . . . of the sacrifice that others have given,” he said. “My son has witnessed firsthand many, many of fatalities in the line of duty and . . . this is just one way of showing his respect and honor for those that paid the ultimate price.”
On Sunday, October 12, Team Army Ranger, with 90 runners strong, took to the streets of Washington, DC for the 2014 Army Ten Miler in support of the men and families of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
The weekend was a tremendous success and we could not ask for a better team of people to represent Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund.
Thank you to all of our runners and to all of the people who came out to support us.
Rangers Lead The Way!
A year ago today, in the midst of a Government shutdown, there was a mass casualty situation in Afghanistan. Two of our Special Operations U.S. Army Rangers, SGT. PATRICK HAWKINS and PFC. CODY J. PATTERSON, both with the 3d Battalion Bco, were killed. Also killed while on the mission with them were Sgt. Joseph M. Peters and 1st Lt. Jennifer M. Moreno. In addition to these casualties, several other Rangers were severely wounded.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Hawkins, Patterson, Peters and Moreno families today, and always. We will never forget that these soldiers and their families gave it all to serve us. And to our brave warriors who continue to fight, heal and overcome the horrors of that day, your strength and determination to prevail is an inspiration to all.
Since the moment this tragedy occurred, Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund has continued to fulfill our promise of support to the men and families of the 75th Ranger Regiment. When the Government didn’t do its job, Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund did ours. As long as our Rangers and their families are in the fight, we stand by their side ready to support them.
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!
