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112 miles in the summer heat . His friend , Frank Masley , asked if he could come along , and the two made the ride dedicating their effort and time to the memory of Chris . Since that time , he has worked with the Travis Manion Foundation on their programs and raised money for their 9 / 11 Heroes runs that are done in memory of the fallen – including those who died in the 9 / 11 terrorist attacks . John feels driven by the Travis Manion Foundation motto : “ Honor the fallen by challenging the living .” Since then , John has been actively involved in the Travis Manion Foundation ,
John speaks to young men and women about how important standing up for the right thing is , no matter the hand you were dealt .
from participating in events to giving speeches at high schools to students on the premise that “ Character Does Matter .” In these talks , John speaks to young men and women about how important standing up for the right thing is , no matter the hand you were dealt . Through hard work and perseverance , you can be your personal best .
John came to HAC in August 2015 , just about the time another HAC Member , Bob McArthur had suggested a swim event to benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation – the Frozen Frogman . John supported the event with his participation and swam 3.1 miles in the pool in Chris ’ s name . He raised more than $ 1,500 . It was a no-brainer to partner with the Mosko ’ s for the 2017 event , which with his help and Bob ’ s drive and vision , the popularity of the event grew and it grew from its first-year total of $ 9,000 raised to a whopping $ 36,000 raised .
The Travis Manion Foundation has three main focus areas . The first is to provide support for the loved ones of a fallen hero . The second is to help veterans as they
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For the first year of our Frozen Frogman , John supported the event with his participation and swam 3.1 miles in the pool in Chris ’ s name . He raised more than $ 1,500 . In 2017 , John contributed to growing the event by 400 %, helping us raise $ 36,000 for the Travis Manion Foundation . Join us on January 28 , 2018 for next year ’ s Frogman swim .
transition from the military into the nonmilitary world . Finally , they work on bringing the message that Character Does Matter to students in middle and high school through the “ If not me , then who ?” motto which anchors the Travis Manion Foundation .
This year ’ s event helped support a Survivors ’ Expedition of high school students who had lost either a parent or a sibling . These expeditions include a service project as well as the opportunity to share their experiences and help each other heal . Amanda , Chris ’ s wife has participated in a number of Survivor expeditions including one that took her to Peru to help a local
community as well as trek the mountains to Machu Pichu .
While each participant in any event may question what their real impact is , they need to remember that each of them can focus on the ‘ If not me , then who ?’ ethos . Others will see them and follow and the impact is now multiplied by two . As we grow these events , we change the course of other ’ s lives because they will be helped and experience hope . John hopes that the Frozen Frogman can continue its exciting growth and provide that support for families of the fallen .