Will you take a #Stand4Heroes with us …
And which shoes will you be wearing?
January 29th marked ten years since my husband, Bob Woodruff, was gravely injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq while reporting for ABC News. This was his “Alive Day,” a military term for the day you survive a major injury to come back to the ones you love.
Bob’s recovery has been nothing short of a miracle, and he is back at work as a broadcast journalist. Our family’s experiences inspired us to help post-911 veterans and their families on the home front — the Bob Woodruff Foundation was born.
As a way to honor our journey, I posted a letter and this photograph of Bob’s boots, from that horrible day. They were still caked with desert sand and flecked with his blood.
We were stunned by the response. So many of you sent your own heartfelt stories; tales of survival and triumph, moments where you were tested or felt joy.
And you sent pictures. Beautiful pictures of your boots and shoes. You wanted us to know that you, too, were standing tall, for a cause, a loved one, as a family, or for those who have proudly served.
At the Bob Woodruff Foundation we are often asked how everyday folks can help our returning veterans. It’s a confusing landscape — sometimes hard to navigate the right way to give back or provide a hand up. Yet most everyone I know wants to stand up for those in uniform who have stood up and served for us.
But you gave us an idea. And now we need your help to make it happen. In the spirit of walking in Bob’s boots, we are launching #Stand4Heroes.
It’s simple: Using hashtag #Stand4Heroes, post a picture— or better yet, a video — of a pair of boots or shoe that hold meaning for you.
It could be that they made you happy or they supported you during a sad or pivotal moment. Maybe you stood in them when you were tested, ran a marathon for your brother’s battle with cancer, met your husband, danced your head off, won an award, or just felt silly. Silly is good.
Challenge friends and families to do the same — tag them and inspire them to join. And if you are so moved, make a donation in honor of a veteran who is currently walking their own path in life.
