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DALLAS – Army Spc. Adrian Herrera,
24,
of Pecos, Texas, has been selected as a grant recipient of the Fallen Patriot
Fund, established on April 16, 2003, by the Mark Cuban Foundation, to
help families of U.S. military personnel who were killed or seriously injured
during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Herrera
and his wife, Simone, 23, received $10,000 from the Fund to assist with
living expenses after he was injured when his tank lost the track on one side
while conducting a patrol and fell approximately 50 feet off an overpass in
Baghdad, Iraq on April 17, 2004. Herrera’s arm was shattered in three places,
his wrist, elbow and bicep areas. His bicep was removed due to severe injury
and infection. His back and right ribs were also fractured and his left orbital
socket was crushed, his nose was broken, three teeth were lost and he sustained
a large laceration on his right thigh.
Spc. Herrera was assigned
to A Co. 2-12 Cavalry based in Fort Hood, Texas, and
was Attached to 1-5 Cavalry at the time of the incident.
“This grant
means so much to my wife and I,” said Spc. Herrera. “It is really great to see
that someone cares enough about the soldiers coming back injured to help them
out. This grant will help my family because my wife currently isn’t able to
work because she is taking care of me. I don’t think it is about the money that
you give fallen soldiers that means so much, but the fact that it is great to
see the citizens of Texas and the U.S.A. care so much about us. Thank you so
much for all that you have done.”
About the Fallen Patriot Fund
The fund has approved more than
$875,000 in grants to 47 families across the United States since its inception.
Donations are still being accepted and can be made at any of the 5,700 Bank of
America banking centers; through the Web site at www.fallenpatriotfund.org, or
mailed to the Fallen Patriot Fund, c/o Bank of America Private Bank,
TX1-492-19-09, P.O. Box 832409, Dallas, Texas, 75283-2409. Additional
information and grant application may be obtained through the Web site.
Since April 16, 2003, donations have
been received from 48 states, Canada and Italy. In addition, the Bank of
America Foundation will match employee donations dollar for dollar from gifts of
$25 up to $5,000.
Financial resources are vital to
enhancing the sustainability of the family unit who has suffered a loss because
its loved one sacrificed him/herself for freedom. Within that group, grant
recipients will be selected in accordance with criteria established by The Mark
Cuban Foundation. All proceeds will be disbursed. The Mark Cuban Foundation is
a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) organization, contributions to which are tax deductible.
Please contact a tax advisor for further details on charitable
contributions.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Gillian Breidenbach (Bank of America) 214.209.3122
Gillian.M.Breidenbach@bankofamerica.com
Dawn Holgate (Mark Cuban), 214.658.7170 (office)
214.878.2867 (mobile)
dawn.holgate@dallasmavs.com
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