We want to congratulate the winners of the 2nd Annual 'A Hero’s Thank You,' presented by Circle K, Onus IV and Wyotech.
The deserving winners were:
KAROLE REED of THORNTON
KAROLE REED IS AN ARMY NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN. SHE SERVED FROM 2012-2016. HER 1ST MAJOR ASSIGNMENT WAS HELPING DURING THE FLOOD OF 2013. KAROLE WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN RESCUING PEOPLE IN AND AROUND LYONS. SHE ALSO SPENT 3 MONTHS IN KOREA SUPPORTING US JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS IN 2014.
KAROLE HAS FOUR DAUGHTERS, HER OLDEST, MIYA, WAS DIAGNOSED ON JANUARY 25TH THIS YEAR WITH ANAPLASTIC ASTROCYTOMA. A WEEK LATER SHE HAD A LARGE TUMOR REMOVED FROM HER BRAIN. SINCE THEN MIYA HAS BEEN RECEIVING BOTH RADIATION AND CHEMOTHERAPY AND CONTINUES TO FIGHT.
KAROLE IS ONE OF THE MOST PATRIOTIC PEOPLE I KNOW AND IS EXTREMELY PROUD OF HER SERVICE. SHE COMES FROM A FAMILY OF VETERANS. BOTH OF GRANDFATHERS SERVED, HER FATHER SERVED, AND ONE OF HER BROTHERS IS CURRENTLY ON ACTIVE DUTY. THE FATHER OF KAROLE'S TWO YOUNGEST DAUGHTERS, BRANDON, IS ALSO A VETERAN WHO SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN. BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING CARE FOR MIYA, BRANDON IS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE FAMILY.
I BELIEVE KAROLE WOULD BE A WONDERFUL RECIPIENT OF THE "A HERO'S THANK YOU " AWARD.
RESPECTFULLY,
DON ECKSTEIN
DAVID BOWDEN of LOVELAND
DAVID BOWDEN IS A FANTASTIC PERSON ALL AROUND, NOT TO MENTION A VETERAN.HE SERVED 12 YEARS BETWEEN ACTIVE DUTY AND RESERVES IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY INFANTRY.HE HAS A WONDERFUL FAMILY WHICH HE WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR. HE RECENTLY SEPARATED FROM THE ARMY. HE WORKS VERY HARD EVERY DAY AT WORK. HE PUTS IN HIS TIME AT WORK AND HUSTLES HOME TO RELIEVE HIS WIFE AS SHE STAYS HOME WITH HIS TWO CHILDREN. WITHOUT BEING TOO SPECIFIC ONE OF HIS CHILDREN HAS MEDICAL NEEDS. HIS WIFE JUST TOTALED HER CAR. SHE ESCAPED MAJOR INJURY AND THANKFULLY HIS CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR. HE LIVES IN LOVELAND AND WORKS IN FORT COLLINS AND HAVING 1 CAR IS HARD ON THEM. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND AS IT WAS OLDER ONLY LIABILITY WITH NO OTHER CAR NO INSURANCE WILL HELP. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO SAY ABOUT DAVID, BUT I HOPE YOU CAN GIVE HIM AND HIS FAMILY SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.
RESPECTFULLY,
BRIAN NARUM
CRAIG MCCARTHY of LAKEWOOD
SERGEANT CRAIG MCCARTHY SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY FROM 1986 TO 1992 AND PARTICIPATED IN DESERT STORM IN 1990 AND 1991.DUE TO EXPOSURE TO INTENSIVE GUNFIRE HE SUFFERED SEVERE HEARING LOSS IN ONE EAR.AFTER HIS SERVICE HE RETURNED TO THE FAMILY HOME IN DENVER.
THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING FOR CRAIG AND HIS FAMILY.TO MITIGATE HIS HEARING LOSS, HE UNDERWENT AN INNER EAR TRANSPLANT IN SEPTEMBER.THE PROCEDURE WAS SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL IN RESTORING SOME OF HIS HEARING.IN OCTOBER THEIR HOME CAUGHT FIRE LEAVING IT UNINHABITABLE.THE FAMILY AND PETS WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE BUT NEARLY ALL CONTENTS OF THE HOME WERE LOST.ALTHOUGH INSURANCE WILL EVENTUALLY HELP RESTORE THE HOME, HE AND THE FAMILY WERE ONLY ABLE TO RELOCATE INTO ANOTHER HOUSE OF MARGINAL CONDITION.THEY ARE CURRENTLY MAKING THE BEST OF A CHALLENGING SITUATION.
WHILE HIS WIFE IS A SCHOOL TEACHER, CRAIG EARNS INCOME BY DRIVING FOR UBER.THEIR CARS ARE BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE ADDITIONAL MILES DRIVEN.IF EITHER CAR BECOMES UNDRIVABLE A PRIME SOURCE OF INCOME WILL BE IN JEOPARDY.
IF CRAIG WERE TO RECEIVE A HERO’S THANK YOU AWARD IT WOULD PROVIDE FUNDS TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON THEIR CARS, AID IN MAINTAINING THEIR INCOME STREAM, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE FAMILY’S LIVING CONDITIONS INTO THE NEW YEAR.THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE A WONDERFUL SURPRISE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND GO A LONG WAY TOWARD EASING THE FAMILY’S BURDEN.
RESPECTFULLY,
RON PHILLIPS