Maureen Crabbe, mother of Marine Corporal Justin Crabbe
WHY I GIVE
Maureen Crabbe, mother of Marine Corporal Justin Crabbe
We give to The Fund because on August 26th, 2011, our lives changed forever. Our son, Corporal Justin Crabbe (USMC, age 22), while on foot patrol in the Kajahi Dam province in Afghanistan, stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). This resulted in the loss of both his legs above the knee and multiple fingers. Semper Fi & America’s Fund was the very first organization to greet us in the ICU waiting room at Walter Reed Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.
We had traveled from our home in California in shock, as anyone can imagine. It was August, I never packed a jacket, and hospitals are COLD … Semper Fi & America’s Fund to the rescue with nice warm fleece jackets and blankets. You have no idea how comforting that was especially since my son lay in that bed on life support, unable to speak.
This was the start of a beautiful relationship. We are very proud people and have never ever relied on anyone to assist us. We were always the family that created fundraisers, packed military boxes, and were the ones helping others. Never in a million years would we think that we would be on the receiving end of the ones accepting help. That was a huge pill to swallow.
Semper Fi & America’s Fund’s mission is simple and one that is easy to embrace. This is why we are so PASSIONATE about giving back. We can never repay that very first moment of genuine comfort given to us and the great big HUG that came along with it.
From day one, and still today, 12 years later, Semper Fi & America’s Fund follows my son, Justin, and his family and ensures that all their needs are met no matter how small! This is the gift that keeps on giving because our service members truly have given their ALL! God bless The Fund and all their awesome volunteers and members! God truly has placed them on this earth to give us all hope, light, and laughter! We are the most BLESSED FAMILY on this earth!
Thank you, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!