Odys served over 11 years in the U.S. Army National Guard. He went on active duty February 2009 where he then spent 10 months overseas duty in Iraq. After returning home and being Honorably Discharged, Odys started showing symptoms of injuries received in a blast of an enemy munition.  The cost and time of travel to and from Womack Army Hospital has caused Odys' wife to be unable to work.  This has caused a financial hardship on the family.  While the Army and VA are working to get Odys into Warrior Transition, the NC Heroes Fund was honored to help this family with some of their immediate needs.

 

 

SSG Truesdale has served his country for more than 20 years and has served two tours in Iraq in the past seven years.  In 2003 SSG Truesdale was serving in Tikrit, Iraq when he was hit with a antitank mine.  This injury made his civilian job as a warehouse material handler impossible.  The inability to work in his civilian job created a financial hardship for SSG Truesdale and his family - from this hardship the Truesdale's faced foreclosure on their home.

 

Through a partnership with Homeowner Answers, the Heroes Fund and Homeowner Answers were able to help SSG Truesdale in restructuring his mortgage to save his house.  SSG Truesdale has volunteered for another tour of duty in Iraq beginning in April 2010.  The Heroes Fund and Homeowner answers are extremely grateful to SSG Truesdale and his service.

A note from SSG Truesdale:

"I want to personally thank the North Carolina Heroes Fund for their most recent help with a stressful situation. Through a partnership with Homeowner Answers, the  NC Heroes Fund was able to set up a loan repayment plan and save my home from foreclosure.

I am volunteering for yet another tour in Iraq to help out my fellow soldiers that are fighting for America’s freedom, this couldn't have come at a better time for me and my family.

I can now focus on my job and not have to worry about my family’s finances back home. I am forever grateful to the NC Heroes Fund for all that you all do for North Carolina veterans and servicemembers, God Bless all of you!”

Kevin Rumsey served over 10 years in the Navy Reserve.  During his service, Kevin served two tours in Iraq as a Religious Program Specialist (aka Chaplains Assistant) where he provided security for the Chaplains Corp.  On his last tour, the convoy that Kevin was riding behind was was struck by an IED.  From the explosion, Kevin now suffers from TBI and PTSD.  The long-term effects of the injuries have caused the Rumseys a financial hardship, the Heroes Fund was happy to assist them with some financial assistance to help them get back on their feet.

Kevin is currently employed by the Boy Scouts of America and the National Reserves.  Kevin and his wife, Trish are parents of seven children and five grandchildren.

E-4 Singletary joined the Marines in 2002 and served in Iraq from March 2005 to October 2005 where he completed over 100 missions as a Vehicle Commander of a Personnel Security Detail.  From his service in Iraq, he currently suffers from PTSD and back and knee injuries.  Since being honorably discharged from the Marine Corp, he has been attending UNC Charlotte as an undergrad.  The Heroes' Fund was proud to assist E-4 Singletary with a partial scholarship to UNCC

PO3 (ret.) Ulysses McDonald is an Iraq War Navy Veteran that served in the Navy for 8 years.  Mr. McDonald, his wife and two teenage daughters recently relocated from Tampa, Florida to Dunn, North Carolina to be closer to his wife's family and to the Fayetteville VA where he is seeking treatment for PTSD, TBI and other physical conditions. The move, accompanied with his inability to work due to his disabilities, has placed Mr. McDonald and his family in a financial hardship.  The Heroes' Fund was proud to assist the McDonald family with their rent and deposit on their new home.

 

SSG Steven Lamonds served two tours of duty in Iraq, his first in 2003 and his second from November 2005 to November 2006.  During his second tour of duty, SSG Lamonds was exposed to numerous IED explosions which resulted in memory loss, TBI, PTSD and headaches.  One of SSG Lamonds' best friends died in his arms in Iraq where Lamonds was the assisting combat medic.

Upon his return home, Steven has been receiving attention from the VA in Fayetteville as well as Perry Point.  Due to his mental and physical injuries that he incurred while in Iraq, Steven has been unable to perform in a normal setting, rendering him unable to seek civilian employment.  Steven needed assistance getting his phone service turned back on, as the VA monitors him remotely through TeleHelp -  a system that operates on a land-line that monitors Steven's well-being everyday.  The Heroes' Fund assisted Steven with his cell and land-line phone bills as the phone service is imperative to his health and well-being.

Retired Staff Sergeant Spaulding served in the National Guard for 31 years, while serving in OIF from 2004 to 2005.  During his 31 year tenure, SSG Spaulding also worked in a civilian job for 28 years at Georgia Pacific in Whiteville, NC.  After having surgery and with a combination of being laid off and being unable to draw unemployment due to lack of medical clearance, the Spauldings were put in a temporary hard place. David and his wife Julia also maintain full custody of their two granddaughters. After SSG Spaulding's more than three decades of service to our country, the Heroes Fund was more than willing to assist the Spauldings with their mortgage payment as well as a few other bills to help ease the burden that was placed on them. 

Sgt. Bret Pchelka served for almost 15 years - 10 years in the army and almost 5 in the National Guard. Sgt. Pchelka was injured in April of 2004,when the truck he was riding in struck an IED. in support of operation Iraqi Freedom, in Iraq, and his injuries have progressively worsened over the past few years.In January of 2009, Sgt. Pchelka was forced to retire early - three months short of his 15 year eligibility for early retirement. This placed a financial strain on him and the Heroes' fund stepped in to prevent his house being foreclosed on.

Sgt. Pchelka and his 11-year old daughter reside in Tarboro, NC.  Sgt. Bret Pchelka has been awarded a financial hardship grant.