News & Articles.

Each year at our Helping Heroes Gala, Deborah Roberts with AmFund is in the room with us, offering great chance of a lifetime trips that benefit our Fisher House with your travel.  With our online auction this year, those same trips are being offered with our long-term partner AmFund and as we know, folks to do business with people they know and trust.  Deborah shares this philosophy and created this little greeting so she could be with us virtually.

We love working with her each year and have many of our generous donors who have enjoyed these trips!  Click here to HEAR from Deborah.

Mark your calendars for our 2nd annual Props Trot for Troops 5k and after party benefiting Fisher House of the Emerald Coast, hosted by Props Craft Brewery, Run With It and Northwest Florida Track Club! Volunteers needed to aid in parking pre-event and during the run. Complimentary food + your first beer free. Want to run?
All 5k participants receive a t-shirt and if you’re one of the first 250 people, you’ll receive a branded 16 oz. mug! Race begins at 9 AM…. Complimentary food + your first beer free.  Volunteer here. 

Ryan Hendrickson, a Green Beret who was awarded a Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor, has authored a book about his experiences on the battlefield, and Stripes Pub & Grill in Navarre is hosting an October 9 book signing for him.

“Tip of the Spear” is the inspiring true story of Sergeant First Class (SFC) Hendrickson, a US Special Forces soldier who was medically retired after stepping on an IED, and his incredible return to active duty and combat.

The book details Hendrickson, clearing the way for his 12-man team. As the “tip of the spear,” his role was to ensure the route taken by U.S. and Afghan troops are free of IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Many soldiers do not survive their last step; those who do often lose at least one limb.

While rescuing an Afghan soldier outside a mud-hut compound in 2010, knowing that he was in “uncleared” territory, Ryan stepped on an IED with his right foot. The device exploded, leaving his foot dangling at the end of his leg.

American soldiers losing a limb is an all-too-common occurrence. But what makes Ryan’s story different is that after undergoing two dozen surgeries and a tortuous rehabilitation, he was medically retired but fought to return to active duty. Multiple skin grafts to his leg and right foot successfully reattached his lower leg, and he was aided in his recovery by wearing a new prosthetic device known as an IDEO (Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis).

Once he passed a series of crucial physical tests, Ryan was able to rejoin the Green Berets within a year and physically perform his duties, redeploying to Afghanistan in March 2012.

In 2016, he volunteered to return to Afghanistan with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group. During a firefight with the Taliban, he risked his life under heavy enemy fire to rescue three Afghan soldiers cut off from friendly forces and return the bodies of two dead Afghan soldiers under the ethos that “no one gets left behind.” For his heroic efforts on the battlefield, SFC Ryan Hendrickson was awarded a Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for valor.

An engaging and harrowing account, “Tip of the Spear” tells the amazing story of one Green Beret’s indomitable spirit.

The book signing will take place at 6 p.m., Friday, October 9 at Stripes Pub & Grill, located at 1878 Andorra Street in Navarre.

72Tony Hughes, Patrick Colloton and 70 others

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As our 13th Annual Helping Heroes Gala goes on hiatus for 2020, the #carecontinues when considering the needs of our military and veteran families.  While our home has remained open with limitations, additional families have been placed in partner hotels, keeping them together for hope and healing during a medical event.

Want to help us fulfil this mission?  Ways include visiting our online auction, it’s ready for review and easy to bid.  Items include our very popular bucket list vacations, a crowd favorite in our 400-person black tie event each year.  YOU get to be included this year from anywhere USA.  Register early by texting helpingheroes to 22454.

The auction opens October 15 and will conclude October 22.  Here is the auction site.  

Remember, it’s not just a shopping experience.  It’s a way to bless military families.  At Fisher House, we are a blessing connection.  Giving generous supporters the opportunity to bless a military family in need, saying thank you for your service and sacrifice in a very real tangible way.  #loveisgoodmedicine

Our organization formed in 2007 with some dynamic folks who love our military and that still rings true today. Here is the ground breaking in 2008. Trec Chedister had a foot on the shovel back then, and remains on our board today. We are grateful for the GREAT folks who move a lot of ground to make things happen.

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — (Left to right) Trecia Chedister, Emerald Coast Fisher House founding member; Tony Hughes, Emerald Coast Fisher House board member; David Coker. President of the Fisher House Foundation; Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune, Air Armament Center commander and the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Weapons; Congressman Jeff Miller; Col. Bruce McClintock, 96th Air Base Wing commander; Robin Baily, 96th Air Base Wing Director of Staff; and Col. Tama Van Decar, 96th Medical Group commander; shoveled the first bit of earth during the groundbreaking of the Emerald Coast Fisher House. There are currently 90 Fisher Houses worldwide. Fisher Houses provide a home-away-from-home for the families of servicemembers while loved ones are receiving medical treatment at military and Veteran Affairs facilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary)

Trec Chedister