Wheelchairs help Iraqi Kids
Story and Photo by 138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
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Thanks to the humanitarian effort of contractor Brad Blauser, Iraqi children recieve much needed assitance in the form of pediatric wheel chairs that have been donated by individuals back in the states. |
MOSUL --Seeing a small Iraqi child smile when you give them a toy will make anyone smile themselves. Give an Iraqi child a wheelchair to change his or her life, will make the anyone choke up with emotion.
One special individual started a crusade to help disabled children in Iraq by providing wheelchairs to help make their lives a little more comfortable and to be able to enjoy their childhood years.
Brad Blauser, a civilian employee with Logistical Services Incorporated on Forward Operating Base Diamondback, Mosul , Iraq has made it his personal mission to see that handicapped Iraqi children get the wheelchairs they deserve. Blauser is a native of Dallas.
“There is an alarming rate of children in Iraq that suffer from birth defects, disease, or casualties of war,” said Blauser. “I wanted to make sure that these children are not restricted to their homes because they don't have any means to get outside and play with their friends.”
Blauser was involved with many activities at the chapel where he met Maj. David Brown, a surgeon from 1 st Battalion, 24 th Infantry Regiment. Blauser asked him what he could do right now to help out. He wanted to do his part.
“Brown told me that many Iraqi children needed wheelchairs,” he said. “So I sent out an email to over 300 friends who were helping me with my bible drive.”
Blauser explained to his friends that they were in immediate need of wheelchairs, so he asked for 12, hoping to get the six he needed. At a cost of one to three thousand dollars each, he did not know what to expect. To his surprise the generosity of his friends began pouring in.
“I could not believe my eyes at how many we received,” said Blauser. “We ended up getting 31 pediatric wheelchairs delivered to help the children.”
According to Blauser, Federal Express shipped the first 12 wheel chairs for free. Then he was pleasantly surprised when Jane Crouch from Turner Broadcasting Network paid for the remaining chairs to be shipped to Iraq.
“I was just overwhelmed at the support we received from the people back home,” Blauser said. “Once again the American people have showed that they care about children they have never met, and it is truly inspirational.”
Since the arrival of the wheelchairs, the majority of the wheel chairs have been delivered to the children, but a few were donated to the 47th Combat Support Hospital to be used when children need to receive various treatments and can't walk.
“I am just glad to be here and be able to do my part,” Blauser said. “The American people deserve all the credit; it was just my idea, they came through like they always do, and that makes you proud to be an American.”
