Posted on 07/29/2009 1:06:01 PM PDT by freedommom
A Missouri man driving his John Deere tractor from his home in Willow Springs, Missouri to Washington DC is making a stop in our region July 25th. The Gulf War Veteran says he's at a breaking point because he claims he is disabled, but not getting disability benefits from his country.
As a result he can't afford to fix his car so his only remaining mode of transportation is his tractor. Letterman's tractor tops out at about 20 miles per hour. He plans on driving between 10 and 14 hours a day. He is making his way to DC because he doesn't know where else to turn. "This is probably the last fight left in me. I've suffered 2 heart attacks with in the last 60 days. You know its just a matter of time," said Matthew Letterman sitting near his tractor.
He claims the VA has denied him disability after he was declared unfit to work in his profession. His ailments include COPD, congestive heart failure, and he's on 19 different medications.
He blames the ailments on the chemicals he was exposed to during his 1991 wartime service for the US Army in the Mideast and with 5 kids to support he's running out of money. "If they've done this to me how many other guys out there has been down the same road," said Letterman.
He leaves from Metropolis, Illinois July 26th and hopes to pull into our nation's capitol either Wednesday night or Thursday. "I've made it this far I'm going to make it the rest of the way, if Lord willing," Letterman said.
When he gets to Washington DC he will try to talk with Missouri Representative Joann Emerson, Senator Kit Bond, and other key political leaders to lobby for disability benefits for all veterans.
He needs our prayers at the very least.
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/story/MO-Vet-Driving-Tractor-to-DC/d8mvYENRDUuDVQ_WmPWT3A.cspx
Prayers sent
This is a long, hard ride for a healthy person. Exactly what kind of disability does this veteran have?
I wonder what the gas mileage is for the tractor.
“He blames the ailments on the chemicals he was exposed to during his 1991 wartime service for the US Army in the Mideast....”
Exactly what ailments and exactly what chemicals? Where is the documentation? Why don’t thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of other veterans and civilians have the same problems from the same exposures?
I believe he has copd and is in a wheelchair.
I'm sure he has other health problems.
I was listening about the story on a radio show.
He was supposed to be in the middle of all the action when the oil fires were burning.
I wonder what the gas mileage is for the tractor.
They say about 20 mph but he has a brush hog attached also.
He said he brought the brush hog so he could work for diesel
to get back home if he ran out of money.
He also has his wheelchair attached to the back because he can’t walk very far without it.
I not trying to be controversial here.
He's only 45 with all these problems.
He is a vet and needs help obviously. Could have been all those oil fires. Who knows.
20 mph is the speed, not the gas mileage.
does not compute....tractors are rated in hrs per gal cause they dont spend much time on the road.....
Recalculating......not enough info to compute...shutting down......
You’re right that he needs prayers, and I will pray for his needs, whatever they are. I am skeptical about his ailments being service-related.
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