Press Release
Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Welcomes Parsons Family Home for Christmas
After Black Mold Destroyed the Home of Wounded Soldier, Leading Nonprofit Pays $130,000 for Construction of New House
December 18, 2007 – Last year, Cindy Parsons received the phone call that no mother wants to get when she learned that her only child, U.S. Army Corporal Shane Parsons, had been severely injured during combat in Ramadi, Iraq. Shane lost both of his legs and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.
After Shane was sent back to the United States for medical treatment, Cindy immediately flew from their home in Fostoria, Ohio, to be by her son’s side – and there she has faithfully remained ever since. Trips back home to Ohio have been infrequent since Shane is still in rehabilitation at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas. However, the time Cindy has spent helping Shane through his long recovery has cost her more than she would have ever imagined: her job as a nurse and even the only home she and Shane have ever known.
Cindy is a single mother, and no one was there to check in on the home while she was away. During that time, an undetected water leak spread black mold throughout the house. The deadly mold crept into every room and the insurance company declared the house – and every bit of its contents – condemned. Their home and belongings were leveled to the ground.
Cindy says through her tears, “When Shane last came home on leave before he was hurt, we went shopping and bought some brand new tennis shoes. When it was time for him to go back, I noticed that he had neatly lined them up in his closet instead of packing them. I asked him why he had done this and he told me that he was saving them so that the next time he came home, he would have something brand new to wear.” The reality of this sinks in, when a few months later, Shane lost his legs and within a year he and his mom lost everything in their home, including his new tennis shoes.
“Shane’s father died when he was just a baby. The only thing he had of his father’s was his bedroom furniture,” said Cindy. The black mold claimed the furniture too, the only tangible thing Shane had left of his father.
Not only did the Parsons lose everything in their home, but when Shane was well enough to come home, there was no home to go to.
Rock Bottom
Cindy was in great despair. Her son been severely wounded, but Shane’s lengthy recovery caused her to lose her nursing job, and their house had been demolished. To make matters worse, their home insurance company would only pay $10,000 in damages even though their home and every bit of its contents were completely destroyed. Cindy admits that she was trying to stay strong for her son, but the stress of it all was taking its toll on her.
One morning when talking to another mother at BAMC, Cindy learned about the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes (www.saluteheroes.org). She called the headquarters in Ossining, New York and shared her story to see if they could help her make ends meet. Little did she know that this was the one phone call that would turn it all around.
The Stress is Lifted
On November 15, 2007, Dan Vargas, Director of the Family Support Network for CSAH, met Cindy and Shane at the Intrepid Center. Cindy and Shane thought they were there to meet Big Kenny, one half of the famous country duo, Big & Rich. Vargas and Big Kenny pulled them aside. They asked about Shane’s injury and the situation with their house.
Big Kenny said to Cindy, “The great thing about this month is it is about giving. And the greatest thing about America, is that the American people love to give. Because of their generous donations to the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, you are getting a new home.”
Vargas says that upon hearing those words, “you could literally see the stress lifted off Cindy’s shoulders” as she started to cry. So moved by this, Big Kenny opened up his personal checkbook and wrote a check right then and there to Cindy in the amount of $10,000 to buy new furniture for their home.
Coming Home
CSAH paid $130,000 to Lakewood Homes for construction of a brand new home so that Cindy would be mortgage free.
When Cindy and Shane receive the keys to their new home, in Fostoria, Ohio on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 1:00 PM EST at 1754 N Union Street, it will even be decorated with a Christmas tree and all the trimmings.
For more information on the home presentation, please contact Ashlie Lanning at 919-459-8158. For more information about the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, visit www.SaluteHeroes.org.