Blog

Wow! What exciting news we have to share with everyone!

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.

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.

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 and 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.

CSAH paid $130,000 to Lakewood Homes for construction of a brand new home so that Cindy would be mortgage free, and CSAH honored the Parsons family with their new home on December 23rd!! We are so excited and honored to be able to share this information with everyone now.

Check out these pictures below!