GALVESTON, Texas (Dec. 11, 2018) – Since retiring
from the U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant Jeffery Vaughn has
once again found peace and solace on the water, fishing.
Whether fishing on his own, or working with local
charter services, Vaughn has built a system of mentors
in the local fishing industry and longed for a vessel of
his very own.
Now, thanks to Hope For The Warriors® and its A
Warrior’s Wish®, Vaughn can now enjoy time on the
water any time he wishes with his own Hobie Pro Angler
kayak.
Hope For The Warriors is a national nonprofit dedicated
to restoring
a
sense of self,
family and
hope to service
members,
their
families, and
families of the
fallen. Its first
established
p r o g r a m ,
A Warrior’s
Wish, honors
the goals and
desires of severely
wounded
service
me m b e r s ,
veterans, and
their families.
“A big thank
you to Hope
For The Warriors
and its
a Warrior’s
Wish program
for gifting me
a Hobie Pro
Angler kayak
to get out on
the water in
and relax,”
said Vaughn. “My favorite thing about my new kayak
is that it’s small and lightweight but stable and easy to
get on and off the water. It also gets me into places a
boat cannot get to.
“I am so passionate about fishing because when I’m
offshore and cannot see land it is the most peaceful
place on earth,” he added.
Vaughn, enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 2001
and served as an Infantry Sniper deploying to Kuwait
and Iraq between 2003 and 2004. During his second
tour, his Sniper Team was sent to Sadr City to support
the Mahdi Militia uprising. During a heavy firefight
with the enemy, a tank from a friendly element mistakenly
targeted Staff Sergeant Vaughn and his team.
He was shot in both thighs and his back and
was medically evacuated to Fort Riley. A few
weeks later, he returned to finish his tour.
After six years serving in the U.S. military,
Vaughn, medically retired in November of
2007 due to nerve damage from the gunshot
wounds and chronic post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
“Transitioning out the military is no easy
task,” said Robin Kelleher, president and
CEO of Hope For The Warriors. “For many
veterans, finding a new hobby or passion or
reinvigorating a previous one helps with the
transition process. So it brings us great joy to
grant Staff Sergeant Jeffery Vaughn’s A Warrior’s
Wish of a fishing kayak so he can enjoy
being on the water.”
Today, Vaughn has earned his Captains
licenses through the U.S. Coast Guard and
hopes to open a small charter business in the
future.
In 2018, 20 wishes will be granted through
Hope For The Warriors. The wishes fulfill a
desire for a better quality of life or support a
quest for gratifying endeavors for those who
have sustained severe physical and psychological
wounds in the line of duty.
Since the program’s inception, A Warrior’s
Wish has granted 200 wishes.
For sponsorship and volunteer opportunities for the
A Warrior’s Wish program, contact Chrystal Keilers at
ckeilers@hopeforthewarriors.org or (832) 776-9379.
To apply for a wish, visit hopeforthewarriors.org/
story/19331538/a-warriors-wish and register online.
For more information on Hope For The Warriors and A
Warrior’s Wish, visit hopeforthewarriors.org, Facebook
or Twitter.
About Hope For The Warriors:
Founded in 2006, Hope For The Warriors is a national
nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family
and hope for post 9/11 veterans, service members
and military families. Since its inception, Hope For The
Warriors has served more than 19,000 through a variety
of support programs focused on clinical health and
wellness, sports and recreation and transition. The
nonprofit’s first program, A Warrior’s Wish, has granted
200 wishes to fulfill a desire for a better quality of life
or support a quest for gratifying endeavors. In addition,
Run For The Warriors has captured the hearts of
more than 23,500 since 2010. For more information,
visit hopeforthewarriors.org, Facebook or Twitter.
Army Staff Sergeant Jeffery Vaughn with his new fishing
kayak courtesy of Hope For The Warriors and its a Warrior’s
Wish program
