The NY Islanders Make Warrior Wishes Come True!

After making wishes come true in Cleveland & Pittsburgh, my dad made his way to New York on another overnight bus.

He arrived in New York City at 6:30am and promptly made his way to Brooklyn to host  Army Cpl Christopher Levi and Marine Sgt John Grauer Jr. at the Islanders game!

The islanders helped us make wishes come true in 2014 when SSG Travis Mills dropped the puck at the Nassau Colosseum. 

Here today, a couple years later, the Islanders have a new home (Barclays Center) & continue to help make wishes come true!  

Thanks to Buffalo Wild Wings, the warriors got to enjoy some pregame wings.  Cpl Levi was running a little late so they ordered him a “To Go” box of wings and took them across the street to meet Chris at the Calvin Klein VIP Entrance.  

While Chris ate his wings & got to know John, My dad went in to pick up the tickets.   He then escorted John and Chris through security and into the stadium.  My dad didn’t plan to attend the game, but got lucky again and was able to scalp a ticket for $20.  

It worked out great because Chris was being honored as the Islanders “Hometown Hero.”  They honored him in the first period and my glad he did not miss it!  

https://youtu.be/qSlaAasqH6s

The Islanders went above and beyond again to help make warrior wishes come true as Army Cpl Levi received a standing ovation from the sold out Barclays Center crowd.  Both Chris and John were on the Jumbotron during the ceremony.

My dad made sure to thank Ann and the Islanders organization for setting up the “Hometown Hero” Recognition. It was special for Cpl Levi as he just celebrated his “Alive Day” yesterday and his birthday was just last week.  

John & Chris both had a great time meeting each other and hanging out for the afternoon.  My dad was truly honored to host these brave Warriors at the game.  We are all forever grateful for their service and sacrifices!

Operation Warrior Wishes couldn’t have made today so special without the generosity of New York Islanders.  From the tickets to the salute, it was an unforgettable day!  We also want to thank New Era For providing the Warriors with brand new Islanders caps & to Buffalo Wild Wings for providing the delicious wings for lunch!  

TOGETHER WE MAKE WARRIOR WISHES COME TRUE!

My dad will be back on the bus tonight to Philadelphia to make wishes come true at both the 76ers & flyers game tomorrow!  Stay tuned for more details!

MEET THE WARRIORS

ARMY CPL CHRIS LEVI

Corporal Christopher Levi, an Army Ranger, is lucky to have made it back to Long Island alive.

The 29-year-old Holbrook man remembers clearly the day in 2008 his legs were blown off, each limb landing on opposite sides of his Humvee when it rolled over an improvised explosive device in Iraq, mangling his right arm. His fatigues ran red with blood. His rifle was destroyed.

After a lengthy stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Levi now lives at home, where he continues his grueling rehabilitation, learning to walk again with prosthetics. Yet despite losing his legs, Levi seemingly evokes Revolutionary war hero Nathan Hale, who famously said his only regret was that he had but one life to give for his country.

“I was a little bit more upset that I wouldn’t be able to rejoin my brothers in this deployment,” Levi told CNN.

SOURCE- http://archive.longislandpress.com/2012/03/22/the-price-long-island-paid-for-the-iraq-war/

MARINE SGT JOHN GRAUER JR.

Graduated mattituck high school 2000& Joined the marines 

First fleet anti terrorism  security forces 5th platoon 

Deployed in 2001 to Japan then from there 47 different countries in support of the global war on terrorism 

2003 second light armored reconnaissance then stone bay rifle range

2/25 resurvist from 2006 to 2010 where deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010

Earned the rank of Sargent and held instructor status in many different training