Wounded Warrior In Action Foundation helps purple heart veterans in Phillips

waow.com
Julienne Ryan

Seven purple heart veterans came together in Phillips to help the environment, while also helping each other heal.

Wounded Warriors In Action was created to help veterans like Lyle Spurgeon.

“The patrol I was in was ambushed by Taliban with RPGs,” said Spurgeon, a Phelps native.

Spurgeon had his tour of duty in Afghanistan cut short in 2009 when he was injured in the Taliban attack. Now the Wounded Warrior In Action Foundation is helping him move forward.

“It’s nothing that any doctor can help you with, that’s for sure,” said Spurgeon.

Fellow soldier, Matt Tennessen of Kaukauna, agreed.

“I always say there is no pill, or there is no therapy that the VA could have done, that the Wounded Warriors did for me,” said Tennessen.

John McDaniel started the program in 2007. He said his time in the military inspired him to give back.

“I combined all the things I was passionate about: serving this country, our wounded warriors that get wounded in the process serving her, and hunting and fishing,” said McDaniel.

McDaniel said spending time outside is just as much a part of the foundation as helping out other wounded vets. Today, Spurgeon and Tennessen helped other veterans plant trees to improve hunting grounds.

“The idea is to make this a world class hunting area for other wounded warriors,” said Spurgeon.

Spurgeon, and the rest of the wounded warriors, said they hope through this program they can continue to improve the lives of suffering veterans across the country.

Organizers said they have multiple events planned to help wounded veterans rehabilitate. Next month, event organizers said they will be hosting a turkey hunt in Wausau from the 18th to the 20th.