Panthers

Honoring Army Warriors Mike Verardo, Jeff Lynch, Jason Lynch & Frank Thompson

Sgt. Michael Verardo. SGT Verardo has literally sacrificed an arm & a leg for our country. When asked if he would do it again, he answered “in a second.”

On April 24, 2010, while deployed in Afghanistan, SGT Verardo was injured from a improvised explosive device that ripped off his lower left leg, part of his left arm and severely burned his body. Verardo explained that soldiers recognize that freedom is not free. “I did not lose a leg. I did not lose an arm. I gave them.” 37 soldiers in Verardo’s Brigade did not come home. He is very grateful to be alive

Army SGT Jeff Lynch spent time at Walter Reed receiving care for complications that developed from injuries he suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated in Mosul, Iraq. Lynch was on his second Iraq tour when he was medically evacuated back to the United States in March 2007.

Jeff has had to endure over 80 procedures since his injury in Iraq. Looking at him you would not be able to tell the hell he has been thru, but Jeff takes it day by day & strives every day to get better.

He has a service dog named “Woody” who is by his side every day. Woody is named after Army SSG Gary Woods Jr. Who was KIA on April 10th, 2009. We had the honor of hosting SSG Woods’ Mom at the colts game earlier this season.

SGT Lynch has lost his cousin and best friend to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We were honored to make his Warrior wishes come true at the Panthers game.