Wounded veterans walk through Houston to raise awareness
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Six wounded veterans from the United States and the United Kingdom are taking part in Walk of America, organized by Walking with the Wounded, a British charity that started in 2010 and brings attention to the relationship between military members in the U.S. and military members in the U.K.
The veterans are making the thousand-mile journey across the U.S. to increase awareness of their purpose. They started their journey in Los Angeles on June 2 and will continue their journey through the rain and heat until they finish the 1,000-mile journey, ending in New York City on Sept. 6. They will be making stops at cities along the way and will be walking through Houston for four days.
Following an event hosted by the British Consul General of Houston, the six veterans and their supporters started the day’s journey.
“You know coming to Houston was particularly special because where, where are they going to get a better, more welcome warm welcome then in this city which has so much respect for our veterans?,” asks British Consul General Karen Bell.
Each year, Walking with the Wounded selects a new region to walk through, raising awareness of mental health among veterans. Funds raised by the organization support wounded British and American veterans that have difficulty finding care. The organization relies heavily on donations for these programs. Veterans share their stories along the way.
“An ESP (explosive form projectile) tore through our vehicle, killed my partner, killed the driver, took out my eye," describes American veteran Adele Loar. "I spent three months at Walter Reed. I was fixed up physically and then fast forward, I was still living with my depression for almost a total of eight years wishing I would’ve died every day. I was pissed that I lived. And it wasn’t until I found nonprofit organizations that supported me and gave me a reason to exist again.”
Johnny Burns of the U.K. is currently living in a facility where 32 veterans reside, all receiving assistance from Walking With The Wounded.
“We have a lady there, she promotes us to get into educational courses and qualifications to better ourselves and to pick us up off the floor, because ultimately that’s where you come in from," explains Burns to FOX 26 News. "We got a lot of people in there with mental health problems, drug addictions, alcohol addictions, gambling addictions, homelessness.”
Organizers say they are excited by the growth over the years and seeing the veterans they were able to help find their purpose again.
“It goes to support veterans on both sides of the Atlantic through support programs that can get them back into employments, can get them through mental health issues and that can get them to find what they lost,“ says Matt Fisher, U.K. veteran and organizer.
Donations are the driving force behind this organization. You can do so by visiting Walk for America and you'll also be able to see the route that the group is walking, so you are strongly encouraged to come out and cheer them on.