Edgar was deployed to Afghanistan with his unit from Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. In August they were on a patrol when they began taking fire. While trying to get out of the armored Stryker vehicle, the 1400 pound door was shut on his foot. His foot which was normally 11 inches long was smashed to just longer than 3 inches, despite being in combat boots. The whole time his foot was stuck in the door he worried about the safety of his buddies who were still taking fire outside of the armored vehicle.

Edgar was brought back to Alaska to undergo many painful surgeries and therapy at the Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER) hospital in Anchorage, in attempt to rehabilitate him back into service. He was referred to the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska’s Heroes Home program, where he was able to move into a fully furnished home on installation throughout the duration of his treatment at JBER’s hospital. His wife and 10 month old daughter came down from Fairbanks and stayed with him in the Heroes Home for 7 weeks. While Edgar missed his daughter’s birth, first words, crawling, and many other milestones, he saw his beautiful daughter’s first steps in the living room of the Heroes Home. Like all proud fathers, he beamed when he told us, seemingly unaware of his swollen and battered toes peeking out from his giant green cast.

Edgar was able to get back and forth to the Warrior Transition Battalion, the Heroes Home, and the JBER Hospital with the Y-on-Wheels door-to-door shuttle. And, because of the Heroes Home program, PFC Garcia didn’t have to stay alone in the barracks on JBER, where he had no friends or support network. Instead, he was able to recuperate and recover with his loved ones, with the comforts of home, and without the financial burden of eating out or staying in a hotel. He didn’t have to hobble to and from the chow hall on crutches. Edgar’s wife received peace of mind being able to be by her husband’s side, able to hold his hand, and help him get better as a family.

Because of generous Alaskans, Edgar and his family were given independence, a support network, comfort, security, and the chance to improve their family bond, resiliency, as well as mental and physical health/wellness.

watch Edgar's story below

Robert has been stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson for three years. He wandered into the Military Welcome Center early in his assignment, and found a place to come, visit and learn about the local community. His visits became more than just a place to stop and get some free coffee and popcorn, the visits became a time for fellowship and friendship. He found a warm, welcoming place to visit, relax, and chat with new friends since his family did not come to Alaska with him. When he returned from a 15 month deployment, he was able to catch up with his friends at the Military Welcome Center as well as learn about the changes on the base. Robert also learned about the many programs and services available for the more junior soldiers, and has made many referrals for them to use the Food Pantry, the Y on Wheels shuttle, and the other fun activities such as the Father Daughter Dance and Mother Son Adventure.

Because of generous Alaskans, Robert received comfort, a support network, respect, and opportunities to improve his mental health/wellness. You also gave Robert tools to help lead and support his troops better.

watch Robert's story below

Christian Garrett was selected as one of the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska’s Annual Salute to the Military Service Personnel of the Year in 2003. He was selected for excellence in service among his active duty junior enlisted Navy peers stationed in Alaska. Christian attended many receptions and events where he was able to meet community members and military supporters. Christian received such a warm welcome and sincere gratitude from the community that he decided to make Alaska his home when he was medically retired.

Christian now works with the Warrior Transition Battalion, helping wounded warriors return to service or transition to civilian life. It was at this new job that Christian met up with the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska again. He now works with us to place wounded warriors in the Heroes Homes, and explains how the simple comforts of being in a home with family can help the wounded heal much quicker. Additionally, Christian has wounded warriors take the Y on Wheels shuttle to and from medical appointments and errands on base, since many of them are unable to drive.

Christian has made referrals to the Food Pantry when he hears of soldiers who have "too much month at the end of the money" and to the Guardian Angel Program when there are service members needing more assistance than the military can provide. Christian knows that he can rely on the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska when there are troops in need of help.

Because of generous Alaskans, Christian received appreciation and respect for his service. He was also provided with a community to call home, and an opportunity to give that sense of appreciation and respect back to the troops, ensuring they have the support, comfort and family resiliency they need to thrive in Alaska. You gave Christian a calling to help others.

watch Christian's story below

Michelle is a military spouse of a Coast Guardsman stationed in Cordova, where infrastructure and medical care are limited to say the least. Michelle found out that she was pregnant, and early in her pregnancy she was diagnosed as high risk due to a heart condition that causes her heart to race erratically. She had to travel to and from Anchorage for medical appointments and treatment, where she would stay at a hotel. While her travel expenses were reimbursed, she had to pay out of pocket and then submit expense reports to be repaid, which became incredibly expensive during the summer months when hotel and airfare rates skyrocket in Anchorage.

Michelle was referred to the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska’s Heroes Home once her doctor determined that it would be safer for her to stay in Anchorage for the duration of her pregnancy. Michelle was able to move in with her 4 year old daughter, and find the comforts of home – a fully furnished home, with laundry, television, and a full kitchen – which is less than a 5 minute drive to the hospital and emergency room on base. Everything was taken care of, even the yard work because of awesome group of Marines from the Reserve unit at JBER, who volunteer to care for the Heroes Home’s yard/snow removal year round.

Michelle was given peace of mind because she didn’t have to worry about receiving medical care when there were further complications, she was just a short ambulance ride to medical attention. Michelle no longer had to worry about the financial burden of paying for medical travel and having to wait a few weeks to be repaid. And she felt supported because she could drop her daughter off at Teddy’s Child Watch at the hospital while she attended her medical appointments. In a city where she has no friends or support network, Michelle had the Armed Services YMCA to lean on for help.

Because of generous Alaskans, Michelle received comfort, security, and support during her high risk pregnancy. She was provided with a support network, family resiliency, and was able to focus on her own health/wellness and that of her unborn child.

watch Michelle's story below

Chip was assigned to an Army Airborne unit at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. On a routine training mission, Chip jumped out of a perfectly good airplane just as he was expected and excited to do. Everything was going well until he was about 200 feet from the ground. Another soldier came from the right, and their parachutes nearly tangled. It was a near miss. But Chip’s parachute deflated, and he plummeted the final 200 feet to the ground without a parachute to slow his fall. He hit the ground at around 60mph.

Despite remembering his training, and taking the prescribed actions, Chip’s femur was pulverized, only dust and bone shards remaining. After multiple surgeries and a titanium rod being implanted in place of his femur, Chip was released from the hospital. If it wasn’t for the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska’s Heroes Home, Chip would have been sent to a nursing home to recover. He was unable to walk, so it would have been impossible for him to stay at his home that had a flight of stairs to navigate.

Chip moved into the Heroes Home with his mother, who came up to care for him during his recovery. They were able to stay in a fully furnished, handicap accessible home (that didn’t have stairs). Having his mother around helped his spirit and made him grateful to have family during this painful ordeal. Chip also used the Y on Wheels shuttle to get to and from medical appointments and to the Warrior Transition Battalion. Chip is now walking with a cane, and living back at home. He hasn’t jumped out of a perfectly good airplane since, but is now using his undergraduate finance education to help young soldiers with financial planning and budgeting.

Because of generous Alaskans, Chip was able to recover with dignity in a comfortable environment. He was given independence and support when he needed it the most.

watch Chip's story below

Carter received a personalized photo quilt from the Operation Kid Comfort program while his mother was deployed. He loved his quilt so much that, aside from carrying it around the house and sleeping with it every night, he took it with him to daycare every single day. At the end of the first day Carter took his quilt to daycare, when his father picked him up, the child care provider told Carter’s father that all the providers were in tears as he proudly walked around showing off all the photos of his mommy and him on the quilt.

Carter carried his quilt with his mommy’s picture with him every day while she was gone. His father told the ASYMCA that he refused to leave home without it.

And when Carter’s mom returned from deployment they reunited and bonded at the inaugural Mother Son Outdoor Adventure in Fairbanks. They enjoyed a day dedicated to playing and enriching the bond between mother and son. There were nothing but smiles on their faces, and warm hugs between the two as they laughed and played the afternoon away.

Because of generous Alaskans, Carter was provided with a sense of connection with his mother despite the distance, and further strengthened the bond and resiliency of their military family.

See pictures of Carter at the Mother Son Adventure here.

Jennifer, a military spouse and mother of three young children, had a network to rely on while her husband was deployed because of Armed Services YMCA of Alaska’s programs and services. She and her kids took the Y on Wheels door-to-door shuttle from base housing to the base hospital for her medical appointment. Jennifer is from Florida, and since she is unaccustomed to driving in winter conditions she doesn’t drive. It was the middle of February, and with icy roads and her husband deployed, she would rather take the shuttle to make sure that she and her children arrive safely to their destinations.

Because of this service she could focus on her health, right after she dropped her kids off at Teddy’s Child Watch for free child care at the hospital campus. It would have been hard, if not impossible for Jennifer to schedule a medical appointment without someone to care for their kids. Jennifer doesn’t have many friends here yet, and it’s hard to ask someone to watch one kid, let alone three. And while the cost of childcare has skyrocketed, military pay has not. With their junior enlisted paycheck, Jennifer wouldn’t be able to afford a sitter to go to the doctor.

Because of generous Alaskans, Jennifer was provided a sense of independence and a family support network while her husband was at war. Additionally, she was able to focus on her health/wellness and improve her family’s resiliency.

watch Jennifer's story below

Danny was recently stationed at Fort Wainwright. Being new to the military, and far from home, he didn’t know many people. He decided to volunteer at the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska, where he learned about the programs and services we offer for the military. At the Military Welcome Center he picked up free movie tickets from the Y @ the Movies program for himself and a few of his friends at the barracks. On another occasion he entered himself in a drawing and won Alaska Railroad tickets through the Y on Rails partnership. Danny wouldn’t have been able to afford the train tickets from Fairbanks to Anchorage, but he took a friend and spent the weekend in Anchorage. He was excited to go shopping and eat at Moose’s Tooth, which he had heard so much about. And when Danny left for his first deployment, he received smiles, kindness, and snacks from Operation Snack Attack volunteers. His unit had to meet up for roll call hours before boarding their flight to Afghanistan, and there were PBJ sandwiches and other comfort items there for him to stuff in his ruck sack.

Because of generous Alaskans, Danny received appreciation, support, a sense of security, and respect for his military service.

See pictures of Danny at Operation Snack Attack here.

Melissa is the child of an Alaska Air National Guardsman who is currently deployed to Afghanistan. She remembered the last time her daddy was deployed; how he missed her first dance recital and she wished that he was home to play with her and her brother. Right before Melissa’s dad left on deployment, she was able to attend the Father Daughter Dance with him. He wore his dress uniform, she got a new dress, and her mom did her nails and made her hair look "really fancy." Melissa told us that she felt like a princess, and she never wanted the evening to end, but that she was so happy to spend some special time with her daddy.

At the beginning of the new school year, Melissa’s teacher identified her for Operation Hero, an afterschool program for military kids. The curriculum helps military children cope with the stressors and adjustments of military life, helping them to improve academically, socially and behaviorally. Melissa met other kids at her school whose parents were in the military, and even a couple whose mom and dads were deployed just like her. Her new friends understood what it was like when she missed her dad, and she had fun working on her homework with them afterschool.

Because of generous Alaskans, Melissa received support, comfort, security, and opportunities for family bonding. Melissa met other children she could relate to, and improved her own support network, self-esteem, and mental health/wellness. You helped Melissa improve her ability to cope with the challenges military life, and help make her strong.

See pictures of Melissa at the Father Daughter Dance here.

Chris learned about the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska because of the annual Combat Fishing Tournament, which provides service members who have been deployed with a day of deep sea fishing, thanks to the generous Seward Charter Fleet. Chris had never been fishing before, let alone deep sea fishing. Despite a little sea sickness, the green around his gills turned into some green in his pocket. His halibut was big enough to place in the tournament and he won $500.

After the Combat Fishing Tournament SrA Johnson signed up for the weekly email memo and learned that the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska has the Operation Linen Giveaway, which distributes household goods and linens to junior enlisted service members. Chris had just recently gotten married and was starting his first home with his new wife. They were able to come and get some new bedding, curtains, and towels for their new apartment, making it feel a little more like home.

Because of generous Alaskans, Chris received appreciation and respect for his service, independence, and increased the comfort in his new home. It made his new wife happy too.

See pictures of Chris at the Combat Fishing Tournament here.