These past months have been a struggle for many, including injured Army veteran James Martin. Health problems paired with social distancing have made each day challenging.
That’s why what Jimmy Graham did recently meant so much to him. “When I have days that it’s tough to get up in the morning, it definitely helps me knowing there are guys like Jimmy out there who really do care about us,” James said.
The Chicago Bears tight end, who has deep military ties, chatted with more than 30 injured veterans and their families in a virtual Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) meet-and-greet. Navy veteran Kelsey Gumm didn’t let the fact Jimmy left her beloved Green Bay Packers hold her back from participating. “I did think it was silly of him to think that the Bears may get a Super Bowl ring,” Kelsey joked.
Jimmy, whose passion for flying is evident with his nine pilot’s licenses, was as comfortable on the call as he is in the cockpit. “It didn’t feel like we were miles away, but like we were all sitting in a room together just hanging out,” Kelsey said.
The 11-year NFL player responded to many questions, including “which quarterback threw the hardest ball?” He deftly dodged that answer like an oncoming safety. He also spoke about the coronavirus pandemic. “We’re forced to go home, look around, and take an X-ray of our life and the people around us, and find those things that matter,” Jimmy said.
For Air Force veteran and Bears fan Kyle Radke, that includes his son Declan, who joined his father on the call. Kyle lives near Chicago and has struggled with his transition back to civilian life. “Having Jimmy spend time with my son and me, especially when it seems the whole world is shut down because of coronavirus, made me feel like there are people outside the military that do appreciate our sacrifice and made me answer ‘yes’ to my internal question of ‘would I do it again?’,” Kyle said.
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