On Veterans Day 2016, only months into Operation Freedom Sentinel, a suicide bomber struck Maggie Bilyeu’s team, leaving her critically injured. Medevaced to safety, she underwent extensive treatment for critical internal injuries: a splenectomy, loss of part of the small and large intestine, colon, left breast repair, diaphragm repair, broken tibia, broken fibula, four-compartment fasciotomy, shattered femur,…
Steadfast Care, Steady Home — Henry’s Story of Resilience
In 2004, a suicide bomber’s attack forever changed Marine Sergeant Henry Maldonado’s life. He sustained severe burns, a traumatic brain injury, and lasting damage to his left side, including hearing loss. For more than 20 years since, one constant has remained: a circle of lasting support from Semper Fi & America’s Fund. Like so many…
Unwavering Strength — An Eight-Year-Old Hero
Eight-year-old Paisley, daughter of Marine veteran Paige Thomas who served our Nation for 25 years, was born with tibial hemimelia, an extremely rare medical condition which resulted in lower extremity amputation at 23-months of age. As a double amputee with autism, Paisley is dependent on critical medical equipment to ensure her safety and comfort within…
Helping Our Heroes Overcome Life’s Toughest Challenges with The Home Depot Foundation
After Army Staff Sergeant Brian Schar suffered severe nerve damage to his arm and the loss of both legs, he faced challenges when areas outside of his home were inaccessible, making navigation as a double amputee impossible.Through The Fund’s partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, his life has forever changed. By widening his driveway and…
The Gift of Mobility: Changing Lives with The Home Depot Foundation
After losing both of his legs in an IED blast while serving in Afghanistan, Marine Corporal Jose Armenta refused to let adversity define his future. As a devoted husband and father of three, he envisioned a home where he could move freely and play alongside his children. Determined to remain active and engaged with his…
Jack & Annalise Klien
Jack & Annalise Klien Why We Give – Rebecca Klien (Children – Jack and Annalise) In 2011, a dear friend lost her husband in Afghanistan, and our family was inspired to look for ways to help military families. When we found Semper Fi & America’s Fund, we knew we’d be supporters for life. My children…
MSgt Dean Zenoni (Ret.) & Dr. Lorri Zenoni
MSgt Dean Zenoni (Ret.) & Dr. Lorri Zenoni Why We Give? We give because we have been there. As an injured veteran and his wife, we know how life-changing the support from Semper Fi & America’s Fund is. We want to help our fellow brothers and sisters to let them know that no one is left behind.…
Bob & Gladys Rodriguez
Bob & Gladys Rodriguez My husband and I found out about the Semper Fi & America’s Fund in 2005 (then it was called the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund), when my daughter-in-law told us about a friend who had been injured in Iraq and was at Walter Reed Hospital. We went to visit him, and…
Tony & Maureen LaBoa
Tony & Maureen LaBoa We can’t write big checks, but we can talk about Semper Fi & America’s Fund so that folks donate what they can. Part of our fundraising used to involve a massive yard sale. At one of these, a WWII vet (I could tell by his baseball cap) walked up the driveway,…
Land of the Free Foundation
Land of the Free Foundation Those of us at the Land of the Free Foundation are proud and honored to be able to support Semper Fi and America’s Fund (“The Fund”). When we started our Foundation back in 2007, we were looking for beneficiaries who would support our mission to support Service Members and their…
Michelle Kinsella
Michelle Kinsella Everything I do for Semper Fi & America’s Fund is to honor my dad, who everyone affectionately calls Sgt. Bob, USMC November 1966 – December 1970. I started running for The Fund in 2010 to honor the hard work my father did (almost 40+ years after he got home from Vietnam) and to…
Elizabeth Kellogg, Semper Fi Open
Elizabeth Kellogg, Semper Fi Open Our relationship with Semper Fi & America’s Fund started almost 10 years ago. Our business is based around military contracting, and we wanted to find a way to give back. My sister approached my dad about starting a golf tournament to raise money; the first thing he tasked her with…
