ADAM: WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP.
AS AMERICA PAYS TRIBUTE THIS
HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO ITS FALLEN
HEROES, THERE'S ONE NEW
HAMPSHIRE ORGANIZATION TAKING
THAT SENTIMENT A STEP FURTHER.
THE CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS
FOUNDATION PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS
TO THE CHILDREN AND CLOSE
RELATIVES OF SERVICE MEMBERS WHO
MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
HERE TO DISCUSS THE PROGRAM ARE
GOLD STAR MOTHER NATALIE HEALY,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND
DAVID TILLE.
HE SITS ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.
IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS WEEKEND,
TELL US A LITTLE BIT FOR THOSE
WHO DO NOT KNOW, ABOUT YOUR SON
DAN HEALY, A NAVY SEAL IN
AFGHANISTAN.
>> DAN WAS BORN AND BRED IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE, CORRUPT IN EXETER AND
GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN
1986.
-- GREW UP IN EXETER AND
GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN
1986.
HE WAS AN ELECTRICIAN AND ONE OF
HIS FRIENDS WAS IN THE NAVY.
HE SAID THERE WAS A VITAL
HOUSING INDUSTRY OUT THERE SO HE
WENT OUT THERE, AND WITHIN FOUR
MONTHS HE WAS CALLING ME SAYING
HE WAS JOINING THE NAVY.
HE BASICALLY DID IT TO BE ABLE
TO GET HIS COLLEGE EDUCATION,
BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT WAS
WORTHWHILE.
AT ANY RATE, HE DECIDED HE WAS
GOING TO GO INTO THE SEALS AND
CHALLENGE HIMSELF.
HE CALLED ME AND SAID HE WAS
GOING TO DO THAT.
I SAID, THAT IS GREAT, BUT WHY?
BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO BE ON A
SHIP FOR SIX MONTHS.
SHOULDN'T YOU HAVE THOUGHT OF
THAT BEFORE?
AND I ALSO WANT TO CHALLENGE
MYSELF.
HE WAS IN THE NAVY SEALS FOR 15
YEARS BEFORE BEING DEPLOYED TO
AFGHANISTAN.
THEY WERE THERE FOR MARCH 2005
AND THEN ON JUNE 28 HE WAS IN A
RESCUE HELICOPTER TO HELP FOUR
OF HIS MEN ON A MOUNTAIN
FIGHTING THE TALIBAN.
AS THEY APPROACHED THE BATTLE,
THEY WERE GETTING READY TO ROPE
DOWN AND AN RPG WAS SHOT RIGHT
THROUGH THE HATCH AND THEY WERE
INSTANTLY GONE.
ONE THING HE DID NOT HAVE TO GO
ON THAT RESCUE, BUT HE SAID,
THOSE ARE MY MEN AND MY FACE
WILL BE THE FIRST ONE THEY WILL
SEE.
THAT IS THE TYPE OF MAN HE WAS,
VERY SELFLESS, A BORN LEADER.
HE WAS A BIG BROTHER AND THAT IS
HOW HE WAS ALL HIS LIFE.
ADAM: THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR
HIM, IT WAS A DAY THAT CHANGED
YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE FOREVER.
WHAT IS THIS EXPERIENCE LIKE AS
A MOTHER, AND FOR THE HEALY
FAMILY?
>> IT IS DEVASTATING, AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE.
IT TAKES A WHILE TO COME TO
TERMS WITH IT.
ACTUALLY, IT HAS BEEN 12 YEARS
COMING UP.
IT DOESN'T GET EASIER, IT JUST
GETS DIFFERENT.
YOU HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF
COPING.
I WAS AT AN EVENT THIS MORNING
AND IT REALLY MOVED ME AND
TOUCHED ME.
BECAUSE THEY HONORED DAN AND THE
OTHER FALLEN OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
SOMETIMES THINGS HIT YOU OR
SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING.
YOU SEE A LITTLE BOY AND IT JUST
HITS YOU.
THEN YOU ARE CONCERNED WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIS CHILDREN,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT HAS BEEN A PROCESS THAT
THIS FAMILY HAS GONE THROUGH
WITH AMAZING EXPERIENCES,
MEETING AMAZING PEOPLE.
THAT WORD IS THROWN AROUND TOO
MUCH BUT IT KIND OF FITS WITH
THIS SITUATION.
WE WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO HAVE
DAN BACK, BUT ALONG THE WAY IN
THE LAST 12 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN
VERY BLESSED WITH THE PEOPLE IN
OUR LIVES.
ADAM: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
FAMILY'S SACRIFICE.
THE CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS
FOUNDATION WANTS TO FIND
FAMILIES LIKE THIS AND HELP
THEM.
>> THAT IS CORRECT, THE CHILDREN
OF FALLEN PATRIOTS PROGRAM --
FOUNDATION WAS CREATED BY DAVID
KIM AND HIS WIFE, CYNTHIA WHEN
THEY LOST A FRIEND IN THE LINE
OF DUTY.
HE HAD AN UNBORN CHILD AT THAT
TIME AND THEY WERE WONDERING HOW
WERE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILY AND
THAT CHILD.
THEY CREATED THE CHILDREN OF
FALLEN PATRIOTS FOUNDATION OVER
10 YEARS AGO, AND IT PROVIDES
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHILDREN THAT,
SO THEY CAN GO ON TO COLLEGE, SO
THAT WE CAN HONOR THEIR PARENTS
THAT GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
THE CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS
FOUNDATION, THEY PROVIDE ALSO
LOAN REPAYMENT.
IT IS $6,250 PER YEAR, A
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT
IT PROVIDES.
IT CAN BE USED ALSO FOR STUDENT
LOAN DEBT.
ADAM: NATALIE, YOUR FAMILY HAS
BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS SOME OF THE
HELP.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
FIRST I'M GOING TO TELL A QUICK
STORY.
IN MARCH, WE WENT OUT TO HAWAII
BECAUSE THEY HAD A RACE HONORING
DAN FROM THE BUILDING THAT THEY
NAMED AFTER HIM, THE DAN HALEY
-- DAN HEALY COMMUNICATION
CENTER.
A FRIEND OF MINE CAME DOWN FROM
THE LAKES REGION WITH A
FULL-PAGE TURN OUT -- TORN OUT
THE CAN HAD MY GRANDSON'S
PICTURE ON IT.
THE HEADLINE WAS ABOUT CHILDREN
OF FALLEN PATRIOTS.
I WONDER WHAT THAT IS ABOUT?
I SET IT ASIDE TO MY GET TO IT
WHILE AND DID NOT GET TO IT, AND
A FRIEND CALLED.
SHE SAID, I AM WORKING FOR
CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THAT EXPLAINS THAT.
DAVE IS THE ONE THAT PUT IN THE
NEWS RELEASE, AND JUST HAPPENED
TO PICK THAT PICTURE OUT OF ALL
OF THE PICTURES AND HAD NO IDEA
THAT IT WAS MY GRANDSON.
>> WE HAVE NO IDEA IT WAS HER
GRANDSON.
>> HE IS ONE OF DANNY'S CHILDREN
, AND THEN CHELSEA AND JASMINE
HAVE BENEFITED FROM
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CHILDREN OF
FALLEN PATRIOTS.
JACOB, WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM
UCSD, HE WENT TO WORK FOR THE
ORGANIZATION FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
ADAM: IT IS NOT JUST
SCHOLARSHIPS, THERE IS MONEY FOR
BOOKS AND A LOT OF HELP.
>> TRAVEL, LAPTOPS, THESE THINGS
ARE SO IMPORTANT.
IT IS ONE THING TO HAVE THE
MONEY FOR TUITION, WHICH IS SUCH
A BLESSING, BUT THEN ALL THOSE
OTHER EXPENSES ADD UP.
SOME CANNOT DO THAT AND OURS IS
ONE OF THEM.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL FOR
WHAT DAVE'S ORGANIZATION AND THE
OTHERS HAVE DONE.
ADAM: GOVERNOR SUNUNU RECENTLY
DECLARED CHILDREN OF FALLEN
PATRIOT DAY.
THERE IS NO DATABASE OF CENTRAL
LOCATION TO KNOW WHERE ALL OF
THESE CHILDREN ARE.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
IT IS ESTIMATED THERE ARE 20,000
CHILDREN IMPACTED THAT LOST A
MOTHER OR FATHER IN THE LINE OF
MILITARY SERVICE.
THAT COULD INCLUDE KILLED IN
ACTION, SUICIDE, AND ALSO
SERVICE-CONNECTED DEATHS.
ALL OF IT IS DETERMINED BY THE
V.A.
CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS
FOUNDATION HAS HELPED 1200 OF
THOSE KIDS, AND WE ARE TRYING TO
JUST GET AWARENESS OUT THAT THIS
SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THESE
RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.
AS NATALIE MENTIONED, THE
ORGANIZATION NOT JUST HELPS WITH
FUNDING, BUT THEY PROVIDE
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR THE $6,250
PER YEAR, AND ALSO WENT BACK AND
TOOK CARE OF EVERYONE'S STUDENT
LOAN DEBT.
ADAM: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO
HAVE THIS KIND OF SUPPORT?
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A MORAL
SUPPORT WITH THIS.
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING
TANGIBLE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
>> EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I HAVE TO SAY, DAN'S DREAM FOR
HIS CHILDREN IS BROUGHT TO
FRUITION THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS
BECAUSE HE WANTED HIS KIDS TO
THE COLLEGE-EDUCATED.
THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
IS A GIFT TO THE FAMILY, AND
THAT WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES
FOREVER.
THAT MEANS THE WORLD TO US.
ADAM: WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO
REACH OUT AND HELP YOUR
FOUNDATION?
>> THEY CAN GO ON TO FALLEN
PATRIOTS.ORG, THAT IS THE
OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
THEY CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO ME
PERSONALLY.
I CAN GIVE OUT MY NUMBER IF YOU
WOULD LIKE.
603-496-0987.
WE WILL ACTUALLY BE SPEAKING
BEFORE THE VFW FOUNDATION AND WE
HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE THE DAUGHTERS
OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
THEY ARE HELPING US REACH OUT TO
FOLKS IN THE SCHOOLS.
WE ARE ALSO ADDRESSING LEGIONS
AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
ADAM: A LOT OF OUTREACH, AND
CERTAINLY THIS IS THE TIME OF
YEAR.
WE ARE ALWAYS KEEPING THIS IN
OUR HEARTS AND MINDS.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO PEOPLE
IN THE GRANITE STATE ON THIS
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND?
>> I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT
EVERY DAY FOR MY FAMILY IT IS
MEMORIAL DAY.
IT FILLS OUR HEART WITH SUCH
PRIDE AND JOY TO SEE OTHER
PEOPLE REMEMBERING OUR BOYS AND
GIRLS.
THEY HEAL A FAMILY DEFINITELY
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT HAS
BEEN DONE FOR THEM THROUGHOUT
THE YEARS BY THE PEOPLE OF NEW
HAMPSHIRE, AND THE PEOPLE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
IT HAS BEEN SUCH A BLESSING AND
WE ARE GRATEFUL.
ADAM: WHEN YOU REMEMBER DAN,
WHAT DO YOU LIKE REMEMBER MOST
-- TO REMEMBER MOST?
>> PLAYING TRIVIA WITH HIM,
BECAUSE WE ARE BOTH VERY
COMPETITIVE.
ADAM: SEALS ARE THE MOST
COMPETITIVE MEN ON EARTH, AND HE
PROBABLY GOT IT FROM HIS MOM.
>> WE LOVED TO DO THAT, AND THE
FACT THAT HE WAS KIND.
THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT VIRTUE
TO HAVE.
EVEN THOUGH I KNOW HE WAS TOUGH
ON THE TEAMS AND HAD TO BE,
ESPECIALLY AS HE GOT UP IN RANK,
BUT BASICALLY IN DIFFERENT
INSTANCES HE WAS VERY KIND AND
OBVIOUSLY COURAGEOUS.
AND THAT, WE ARE PROUD OF.
WE ARE BLESSED WITH THAT.
ADAM: WE THANK YOU WITH YOUR
WORK -- FOR YOUR WORK, YOUR
ADVOCACY.
THANK YOU TO THE MEN LIKE DAN
HEALY WHO ARE WILLING TO LAY
DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THE
COUNTRY.