Purple Hearts Reunited

On Veterans Day, I think about my Dad. As many of you know, my Dad served as a Marine in Vietnam for over a year at twenty years old. What you may not know is he is also the recipient of two purple hearts.  Like many Veterans, he is humble and would never tell you unless asked. Every year I thank my Dad for his service but this year I feel compelled to do more.

 I asked my Dad a few days ago if I could look at his medals. Every time I open the box, hold the medals in my hands; I am overcome with emotion. I’m amazed by his bravery and honored to be his daughter. As a Mom, I am grateful for the opportunity to one day sit down with my children and show them this powerful symbol of sacrifice awarded to their Grandpa. What a gift.

 As a family, we would be heartbroken if these medals were somehow lost or stolen. Unfortunately, many families have experienced this sense of loss.  Medals of Valor are being sold illegally every day on sites like Ebay, Etsy and Craigslist for hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. They are sold in garage sales and antique shops and traded like baseball cards.

Captain Zachariah Fike is single handedly changing this through his foundation, Purple Hearts Reunited, located here in Vermont. He is rescuing medals and returning them through individual ceremonies across the country to honor the sacrifice these Veterans made for our country.

Captain Fike has returned 150 medals since 2012 and on his own, he can return around 35 medals per year. On average, he receives 3-5 medals per week and has over 400 medals in storage waiting to be returned. Each return costs around $1,500 and unfortunately, Purple hearts reunited does not currently have the funds it needs to return all of these medals.

I had the great privilege of meeting Captain Fike in August. The meeting truly changed my life. I have been a non-profit fundraiser for the last ten years and I can honestly say, I have never been so personally driven to raise money for an organization as I am for Purple Hearts Reunited. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who is as thoughtful, intentional and passionate as Captain Fike is about Purple Hearts Reunited.

I decided to create a go fund me page to honor my Dad and all who have served. Each and every one of us has a connection to a Veteran in some way. Honor them by liking and sharing this page with as many people as you can. Please support this cause at whatever level you can. Each and every gift makes a difference.  My goal is to send five Purple Hearts home before the end of the year.  All donations are tax deductible. 
Click here to learn more  purpleheartsreunited.org

Thank you for taking the time to read and share.  I’m sincerely grateful.

Sarah

(My Dad in his Marine Blues)