Press Release - Thursday, April 13, 2006
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DONATE YOUR FREQUENT FLYER MILES AND HELP REUNITE WOUNDED HEROES WITH THEIR FAMILIES!
CHICAGO—Today, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn announced a major donation from United Airlines to Hero Miles, a program which gives military families free airline tickets to visit loved ones who are recovering in military hospitals from injuries received while on duty. Most of the miles contributed by United Airlines were donated by its customers.
The Hero Miles program is administered by Fisher House, a not-for-profit foundation that is a "home away from home" for military families whose loved ones are receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers.
Quinn was joined by the father of Marine CPL Tyler (Ty) Ziegel, Jeff Ziegel, from Metamora, Illinois. On December 22, 2004, CPL Ziegel was horribly injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives. Two days - on Christmas Eve - Fisher House flew his parents, Jeff and Becky Ziegel, his brother Zachary Ziegel, and his fiancé Renee Kline to his bedside at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
CPL Ziegel's injuries included third degree burns over his face, head and arms, a broken jaw, and shrapnel to the brain. He also suffered the loss of most of his nose, both ears, and vision in his right eye. His left hand and three fingers on his right hand were amputated. After nearly 30 surgeries, Lance CPL Ziegel is credited with a miraculous recovery. He is continuing his recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center.
Quinn encouraged Illinois citizens to remember our military heroes this Easter season by donating some of their frequent flyer miles to the Hero Miles program.
"Fisher House has helped secure free round-trip airline accommodations for more than 20 Illinois families like the Ziegels so they could be at their loved one's bedside as they recover," Quinn said. "During this Easter and Passover season, as we gather with our families to celebrate this joyous time, let's thank our wounded heroes for their service by helping to reunite with their families."
Quinn was also joined by Gloria Berndl, Managing Director - Mileage Plus Programs, for United Airlines and Jim Weiskopf, Vice President of Communications, for the Fisher House Foundation.
To date, Fisher House has provided more than 5,000 round-trip tickets, worth more than $6.5 million. Families have been able to visit their loved ones in military hospitals including Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C.; Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas; Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland; and Landsthul Medical Center in Germany.
"United is honored to participate in the Hero Miles program," said Ken Feldman, Vice President - Loyalty and E-commerce for United Airlines. "As a global company, United is in a unique position to support Fisher House's mission to provide comfort and hope to military families in need. The generosity of our customers makes us very proud."
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"We are delighted to add United Airlines as the newest airline partner participating in the Hero Miles program," said Jim Weiskopf, Fisher House Foundation Vice President for Communications. "Because their routes match the locations of those military and VA medical centers with the largest numbers of casualties, we will be able to provide wounded service members or their families more flight options and better serve them during their time of need."
Airline tickets are available for families of military or Department of Defense civilian employees injured as a result of their military service anywhere in the world. These tickets cannot be used for any travel unrelated to a medical condition.
In addition to United Airlines, Fisher House has also partnered with the following airlines:
· Alaska Airlines
· America West Airlines
· Delta Airlines
· Midwest Airlines
· Northwest Airlines
· US Airways
For more information on how to donate your frequent flyer miles and remember a hero this Easter, visit www.OperationHomefront.org. With more than 14 million hits, it's one of the country's most informative websites on supporting our troops.
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