(VANITY) AWESOME Story of Denzel Washington and Our Troops

E-Mail | 6-22-2005 | Hand Em Their Arse

[Hand em their arse]

Just Great:

THIS NEEDS WIDE DISTRIBUTION!

Don't know whether you heard about this but Denzel Washington and his family visited the troops at Brook Army Medical Center, in San Antonio,Texas (BAMC) the other day. This is where soldiers that have been evacuated from Germany come to be hospitalized in the States, especially burn victims. They have buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a hotel where soldiers' families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base but as you can imagine, they are almost completely filled most of the time.

While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC, they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He took his check book out and wrote a check for the full amount right there on the spot. The soldiers overseas were amazed to hear this story and want to get the word out to the American public, because it warmed their hearts to hear it.

The question I have is why does Alec Baldwin, Modonna, Sean Penn and other Hollywood types make front page news with their anti-everything America crap and this doesn't even make page 3 in the Metro section of any newspaper

except the base newspaper in San Antonio

A true American and friend to all in uniform!

[Hand em their arse]

Pretty sure Denzel is one our typical Hollywood libs, but this definitely was a heartfelt move on his part....

[SMARTY]

Maybe ALL celebrities ought to open their checkbooks and CLOSE their mouths. Then, we can separate sincerity from BS for ourselves. Politics, in the end, has nothing to do with it.

[Hand em their arse]

100% agreed!!!

[LS]

I don't know but there is some question if this is an urban legend. Is this report accurate? I've seen other reports of him that proved not to be true.

[ambrose]

bump.

[wtc911]

Old story and un-verified.

[68skylark]

The truth isn't quite what you've indicated, although Mr. Washington does deserve a lot of credit for what he's done.

More information is available from snopes.com, it's here:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/denzel.asp

[Phantom Lord]

I heard it mentioned on Fox News so I lean toward it being true.

[itsamelman]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/denzel.asp

Denzel Washington

Claim:   Actor Denzel Washington made a large donation to the Fisher House Foundation after visiting Brooke Army Medical Center.

Status:   Multiple — see below.

• Denzel Washington visited Brooke Army Medical Center and made a substantial donation to the Fisher House Foundation:   True.

   

• Denzel Washington whipped out his checkbook and "wrote a check out for the full amount (for a new Fisher House) right there on the spot":   False.

Example:   [Collected on the Internet, 2005]

Hi everyone,

Dan told me a great story he heard and I wanted to share it with the rest of you. Pleaaase spread the word!

Danzel Washington was visiting BAMC (Brookes Army Medical Center, in San Antonio) the other day. This is where soldiers that have been evac'd from Germany come to be hospitalized in the States. They have buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a hotel that soldier's families can stay at, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but as you can imagine, they are almost filled to the brim most of the time. While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC, they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He got his check book out and wrote a check out for the full amount right there on the spot. The soldiers overseas were amazed to hear this story and want to get the word out to the American public, because it warmed their hearts to hear it. I hope you will spread this story!

Origins:   In mid-December 2004, Denzel Washington — reportedly at the suggestion of a veteran known as "Ranger Jones" whom the actor met while filming the 1988 Civil War epic Glory — paid a visit to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The popular actor took part in a Purple Heart ceremony, presenting medals to three Army soldiers who were recovering in the hospital from wounds received in Iraq.

The city's Express-News newspaper described one of the medal recipients' reaction to her encounter with the screen star:

When Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington entered the auditorium at Brooke Army Medical Center, Spc. Connie Spinks, healing from wounds from Iraq, was content to hold his hand, get a gentle peck on the cheek and hear him whisper a sweet nothing in her ear.

"He just told me he was proud of me, and that was enough," said Spinks, who has a broken femur, fractured fibula, shattered ankle, two broken fingers and second- and third-degree burns on her hands and face.

That brief encounter was enough to lift the Asheboro, N.C., native, a world away from her memories of Oct. 13, when a suicide bomber killed two soldiers and injured Spinks, 22, and four others in a convoy.

"If I wasn't already in a wheelchair, I would have fainted" when the screen star kissed her, she said.

Oh, but there was one more thing she needed. She waved her mother, Annette, up for a hug and kiss from the leading man, who has portrayed young military heroes in "Glory" and "Crimson Tide."

"I had to do that for my mother," said Spinks, who will be treated at the hospital at least through March. "She's been here for me since October."

Fort Sam Houston, which houses the Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), also includes on its property a Fisher House within walking distance of the medical center. Fisher Houses are a network of "comfort homes," essentially low-cost hotels built on the grounds of military medical centers in the U.S. and abroad that provide all the amenities of home and enable family members of servicemen to stay close to loved ones who are undergoing medical treatment for illness, disease, or injury. The modest fees charged by Fisher Houses (about $10 per night) make them accessible even to familes with tight budgets (a situation common to many military families).

As might be expected with the U.S. military's having been engaged in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq for the last few years, the demand for space in Fisher Houses at some military facilities has exceeded their capacities. According to the Fisher House Foundation, when Denzel Washington was at Fort Sam Houston in December 2004, he did visit its Fisher House and learn of their need for additional facilities, and he did later make a substantial donation to the Fisher House Foundation (amount undisclosed, but it was described as "one of the most significant received in our history" by James Weiskopf, the foundation's vice president for communications), but he did not, as described above, "get out his checkbook" on the spot and write a check for the full amount needed to construct a new building.

Due to the generosity of the American public (including Mr. Washington), the Fisher House Foundation has already collected enough money to build another house, although it will not necessarily be constructed at the Brooke Army Medical Center. Other possible sites for a new Fisher House include the Michael E. DeBakey Medical Center in Houston, the Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, the Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington, the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

One version of the Denzel Washington e-mail in circulation concludes, "By the way . . . He has a son who is a Marine in Iraq." Although Denzel Washington does have two sons (and also two daughters), neither of his sons is a Marine or is stationed in Iraq. One son is far too young to be serving in the military (he's only thirteen years old), and Denzel's older son, 21-year-old John David Washington, is currently a student and football star at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Last updated:   3 June 2005

[Hand em their arse]

Oh Jeez, really?? I didn't know that... sucks if that's the case...

[68skylark]

It's usually a good idea to touch base with www.snopes.com before posting or circulating any information that comes in an email message.

[Hand em their arse]

"The truth isn't quite what you've indicated, although Mr. Washington does deserve a lot of credit for what he's done."

"More information is available from snopes.com, it's here:"

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/denzel.asp


Mod, if this is the case, please remove thread.... Thanks Sky

[Hand em their arse]

never even heard of the site, so thanks for the info...

[LS]

Ok.

[LS]

Yeah, see the snopes stuff.

[68skylark]

I hope my comment didn't sound snippy -- I didn't mean to. Snopes.com is a wonderful site -- it's easy to use and it's a whole lot of fun, and it does a great job dealing with urban legends that are going all around the Internet. Try it some time -- I think you'll enjoy it.

[fortunecookie]

Pretty sure Denzel is one our typical Hollywood libs, but this definitely was a heartfelt move on his part....

It was a gracious move on his part. And I don't entirely know his politics, but Denzel has had disagreements with Hollywood libs. He may not be one of the typical Hwood libs, or even truly a lib at all.

[Hand em their arse]

Not at all... :) and will do, thanks!

[DocH]

This story, no matter if true or not, no matter how lauditory, is getting tiresome.

This must keep getting regurgitated for some bizarre reason.

Must be Denzel's Mama "represent'n".

[cvq3842]

Agreed!