Carolyn offers a moving and inspirational tale of her life after she
heroically fled the cult she had been raised in. The chapter entitled
"TRIUMPH" features Ms. Swendson and her blind therapy dog Gracie, as
they met the children seized from the cult and placed temporarily in San
Antonio, TX at a shelter.
The children had never seen a dog before, just as they had never seen
crayons before and tried to eat these crayons. It is an amazing tale of
dogs and children. Ms. Swendson's words reverberate, as children
appearing to be little robots suddenly turned into children with a dog
present. All too sadly they were returned to the compound and cult. It
is a small detail but a very telling one of a life and world so
different from ours.
Our very own Advisory Board Member Shane Parsons (in motorized
chair) continues to proudly represent our wounded warriors at
multiple events.
Service Dogs Organization now helping Vietnam
Veterans
Soldiers With PTSD Get Help From Dogs Copyright 2011 by KSAT.com.
During
his 10-year military career Dustin Fleenor was exposed to mortar
blasts, one that broke his back and left him blind in his right eye.
Fleenor ran missions around the clock and is reluctant to recall a
riot that broke out at a POW camp. "That's why I quit sleeping
because I could see these things going on all the time," Fleenor
said.
Upon returning home to his wife and four children, Fleenor was
diagnosed with severe Post-traumatic stress disorder. "It's been
like she's had five kids, me included as one of those kids, because
she's had to take care of me too," Fleenor said.
Afraid his anxiety might overtake him at any time, Fleenor couldn't
go anywhere alone. Meeting his service dog "Todd" was life changing.
"He jumped on my lap, completely was licking me all over, and was
like I've been waiting for you my whole life, where have you been,"
Fleenor said.
Their connection was immediate. Fleenor explains Todd has a way of
sensing his anxiety, even absorbing it, something people can't do
for him. "He backs up against me, and Todd starts getting real
confused and all of a sudden I can back up into a corner. I start
petting Todd for a couple minutes and all of a sudden it's gone,"
Fleenor said.
Bart Sherwood, director of "Penny's From Heaven Foundation," said
the dogs have a way of relating to the warriors in a way people
can't. "These dogs read the warriors so much better than their human
counterparts, and they don't question, it's unconditional, it's
non-judgmental," Sherwood said.
His hope is that the program doesn't just change the lives of the
soldiers, but that it also restores it.
AUDIE MURPHY VA ~ POLYTRAUMA REHABILITATION
CENTER
Penny's
From Heaven Foundation will be working in the state-of-the-art
facility at the AUDIE MURPHY VA ~ POLYTRAUMA REHABILITATION CENTER.
PFHF will be providing therapy dog teams to
work with the warriors who are healing there. And work has already
begun to provide two resident, PFHF trained dogs! A first for the
VA!!!
Dickinson Fun Run Will Support Pet Therapy
Foundation, Wounded Troops By FLORI MEEKS, CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
COURTESY ONE FOR ALL: U.S. Coast Guard
Lt. Jamie Koppi, with Buddy her 7- year-old pug, will take
part in the Paws for Penny Fun Run. Photo: COURTESY Kelli
Rawls / HC
For a man or woman suffering from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, it's not a matter of taking life
one day at a time; it can come down to getting through one
minute at a time.
That's why Patsy Swendson is passionate about providing
veterans suffering from this disorder with a friend to help
them along the way.
Her San Antonio-based pet therapy organization, Penny's From
Heaven, regularly provides trained therapy dogs for those
suffering from PTSD as a result of their wartime
experiences.
"Our primary function is to get these guys and
gals out of this hell they are in," Swendson said.
Earlier this year, the organization's
efforts caught the eye of Kelli Rawls, practice manager of
Dickinson Animal Hospital & Pet Wellness Center.
Rawls was looking for charity the hospital could support, and
Penny's From Heaven seemed like a perfect fit.
"We just wanted to do something to get our name out in the community
and at the same time give back to the community," Rawls said.
She discovered the Penny's From Heaven Foundation through its Web
site.
"I loved the fact they use therapy dogs to help our American
soldiers."
Rawls spoke with Swendson and was further impressed with the
program. "It's very unique to find someone like her who does so
much," Rawls said.
Now Dickinson Animal Hospital & Pet Wellness Center is preparing to
host a one-mile fun run to support Penny's From Heaven Foundation.
"Paws for Penny" Fun Run will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at
First United Methodist Church, 200 FM 517 W. in Dickinson.
The entry fee is $25 and one comfort item for a soldier or working
dog. Registration and a list of comfort items can be found at the
animal hospital, 1100 FM 517 Road W.
Participants in the fun run are invited to bring their pets, but all
animals must be on a leash.
Early registration continues through Oct. 11. After that,
participants will not be guaranteed a t-shirt, but registration will
remain available through the day of the run.
Nurse Sarah Purcell is among the pet hospital employees volunteering
to organize the fun run. Helping out was an easy choice, she said.
'The first thing is what the organization is doing for the veterans'
community," she said. "Plus, it promotes family time - doing
something for a good cause and doing it together."
Swendson said she's excited about Dickinson Animal Hospital & Pet
Wellness Center's efforts.
"I think it's fantastic," she said. "The support is tremendously
appreciated."
Swendson founded Penny's From Heaven Foundation as a pet therapy
organization. The foundation's namesake, a golden retriever named
Penny, worked as a therapy dog for nearly a decade.
Swendson and her team made visits throughout greater San Antonio,
including stops at hospitals and therapy providers for veterans.
Many of the warriors they wished they had a dog.
"It became clear the dogs were able to offer solace in a way that
nothing else could," Swendson said.
For those who've been visibly wounded, have been burned or have lost
ears, eyes or limbs, dogs are unfazed and unwavering in their
loyalty.
And for those suffering from PTSD, trained therapy dogs can be a
lifeline, a source of comfort and a friend who can break suffering
warriors out of their flashbacks.
Today, Penny's From Heaven continues to connect trained therapy dogs
with those who can benefit from their gentle presence.
And its team of PTSD support dogs provide support to returning
soldiers affected by PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The dogs are
selected and trained specifically for this work.
Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs Blessed
at St. George Episcopal Church
"And I will make for them a covenant on that
day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the
creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the
sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in
safety." -Hosea 2:18 (ESV)
Saturday, October 8, 2011 we had a special service to bless some
dogs. In between snacks for humans and treats for dogs we said some
prayers, read some scripture, sprinkled some water, and blessed each
dog. Though we were the ones offering the blessing, I'm not so sure,
but that we weren't the ones who were blessed. You see, sometimes
God turns things around when we least expect it.
We had gathered for what looked like would be a typical St. Francis
blessing of the animals, but these were not your everyday animals.
The participants this morning were service and therapy dogs (and
their trainers and owners) that have been trained by a local
organization called "Penny's from Heaven."
These are dogs that have been trained to be living blessings. Some
of them go out to nursing homes and hospitals where they minister to
the sick, the hurting, and the lonely. Some of them go out to
schools and listen to children read, giving their undivided
attention. And some of them go to live with wounded veterans (inside
and out) returning from war bringing unconditional love, peace, and
protection. All of them are trained to meet the special needs of
those they go out to visit.
And so we gathered and offered our prayers, and God poured out His
blessing...in the laying on of hands and paws alike.
Women's Bureau Holds Stand Down
for Women Veterans in San Antonio
Kelsie
(from PFHF) was the "poster child" for the Stand Down when her
picture was used in the Department of Labor's newsletter article
about the event.
About 200 veterans, service providers,
volunteers and state representatives attended the Women's Bureau's
Stand Down for Women Veterans event at the TriPoint Center in San
Antonio last week. Women veterans and their families were provided
with free services including employment assistance, medical care and
mental health services, and legal consultations. Panel discussions
and workshops featured women who successfully transitioned from the
military into the civilian world. Service providers addressed
transferring military skills to civilian job opportunities and
financial literacy. Clinical professionals discussed post-traumatic
stress disorder and military sexual trauma. The bureau provided
on-site child care. Special guests included State Sen. Leticia Van
de Putte and State Reps. Ruth Jones McClendon and Joaquin Castro.
Uvalde Knitters
Jessica Chavez|Leader-News
Susan Vipond (right), facility coordinator for
Penny’s From Heaven Foundation in San Antonio,
accepts approximately 20 donated Hero Hugs knitted
throws from the Uvalde Knitters last Thursday
afternoon at the Uvalde Adult Activity Center. Also
included in the photo is Daisy Duke, a therapy dog
for wounded soldiers. The throws will be donated to
the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility at
Wilford Hall Hospital, Lackland Air Force Base.
Service Dogs Help Warriors
Coping With PTSD
San Antonio Express News article about warriors,
service dogs, and the work that Penny's From Heaven
Foundation and Train A Dog - Save A Warrior are
doing.
In honor of National Assistance Dog Week, FOX 29
reached out to TADSAW for a beautiful success story.
A wounded warrior with PTSD found his 'battle buddy'
in a dog named Gunny! This segment will give you
just a small idea of how valuable these TADSAW
Service Dogs can be!
Struggling with post-traumatic stress, veteran David Sharpe says he
found a dog at a shelter that saved his life. Now, with a group called
P2V, he pairs other vets with rescued pets.
Seniors Benefit From
Dog Visits Penny's From Heaven outreach shows results
David Scott
DRIPPING SPRINGS (KXAN) - At senior care
centers across central Texas, residents get visits from a special
group of dogs every week. The dogs bring unconditional love and
cheer to folks who may not have much of that in their daily lives.
"When you're a senior you tend to stay in your
little compartment. You don't want to go out," said Patsy Swendson,
founder of the Penny's From Heaven Foundation. "When you have a dog
with you or a dog that comes to visit you, that changes. I've seen
patients take a shower for the first time in a week because they've
got a dog coming to visit them."
Swendson began her outreach after she was inspired by her own rehab
dog, Penny. Her dogs also visit wounded veterans. Seniors have a
special appreciation for the visits because some rarely get human
visitors of their own these days.
Stroke victim Harley Clark lives at the Hill
Country Care Center in Dripping Springs. He owned dogs most of his
life, before coming here, and looks forward to every visit from the
dogs. A favorite pup is Bosley, who gets around on just two working
legs of his own. He and the seniors with their own disabilities,
share a common bond.
"When you're disabled you spend a lot of time by yourself. But to
have a dog as a companion it keeps you in touch with a different
expanded world," Clark said. "Its really good to have a dog that is
devoted to you and with you all the time, so I think its a really
good idea."
Clark is a retired Austin District Judge. He was also the 1955
Longhorn Yell Leader who invented the "Hook Em" hand sign before a
game with Texas A&M. Now Bosley and the other dogs with Penny's From
Heaven are cheerleading for him.
Patsy says the dogs look forward to the visits too. They can sense
the fragile bodies and moods of the seniors, and respond
accordingly.
"When a patient is very depressed or in a depressed state what
happens? The dog takes that on to themselves. When a dog's around
you they take on your depression, they cuddle up and love on you,"
Swendson said. "When a patient's happy, the staff's happy, they're
all about happy."
Veterans are Healed Via Therapy
Dogs
Man's best friend helps the
mind, body and spirit
Updated: Thursday, 11 Nov 2010, 11:13 PM CST
Published : Thursday, 11 Nov 2010, 6:12 PM CST
David Scott
DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) - Some come home from the war with a
wounded body. Others, a wounded mind, or wounded spirit. They are
healing now with the help of man's best friend.
The Penny's From Heaven Foundation provides special training for
veterans dogs, with its " Train a Dog, Save a Warrior " program.
Sgt. A.J. Schill (Ret.) of Round Rock suffered spinal injuries in Iraq.
Sgt. Andrew Pastusic of San Antonio suffered brain injuries there. Both
men suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Both own dogs trained by
Patsy Swendson, founder of Penny's From Heaven.
Penny refers to Patsy's own beloved rehabilitation dog, a Golden
Retriever.
"I went through a bad period. I needed to get out of the depression I
was in so I would take Penny to visit patients and while I was with
them, it helped heal me," she recalled.
Now Patsy is helping to heal sergeants Schill and Pastusic, among
others.
Schill explained his PTSD symptoms.
"Staying at home and isolating myself, not only does it feed my
depression, it doesn't help me," Schill said. "It's a Catch-22. if I
stay in my house and isolate myself it gets worse and if I go outside, I
risk panic attacks."
"When I got back things just weren't the same the way they were before I
left," Pastusic said. "My relationship with the family, I did everything
I could to distance myself, I didn't want them feeling the way I did."
"Train a Dog, Save a Warrior" teaches the animals to respond to the
veterans, to provide love, support and security, and also to perform
tasks tailored to that soldier's needs.
Schill talked about his German Shepherd, Kiowa.
"She provides me comfort. I want to have an excuse to get out and do
something, be responsible for something," he said.
Pastusic's dog is a chocolate Labrador Retriever named Cocoa.
"In the four months I've been doing this I'm a completely changed man,"
Pastusic said. "I actually give a crap about life now, because I've got
something that relies on me. Going through the training built confidence
in me. I saw how she was performing so that steps up my game. She's my
best friend, and my wife knows it, ha."
The families of the soldiers see a difference.
"I'm very hopeful," said Christa Schill, "because my husband is a
wonderful person. He's been through a lot of emotions and things. I want
my husband back."
The Penny's From Heaven Foundation is based in San Antonio, but services
veterans across central Texas, such as at the Stay N Play Pet Ranch in
Dripping Springs.
Patsy Swendson is in talks about financial help from Ross Perot and
rocker Ted Nugent. Swendson believes she could take her program national
and train dogs for 18,000 soldiers during the next two years.
"I can't say that what we do is going to cure them, I can say I have
seen them endlessly improve dramatically," Swendson said. "In the rehab
center I met a wounded warrior back from Iraq and that turned my life
around. I found that my mission in life was to do this."
Penny's From Heaven Foundation is looking for
people or organizations who can sponsor a dog(s) for a wounded
warrior. Full sponsorship is $600.00, including the training, vest,
patches, crate, bowls, toys and a month of food. We are working on
getting veterinary care donated, but still need help in that arena
if you know of anyone that could help us with that.
Soldiers' Angels steped up to sponsor a dog
for $600 and challenges other organizations to do the same! [
Read more about Soldiers' Angels ]
Patsy Swendson's
blog went all the way to California to Soldier's Angels. They
published it in their
weekly newsletter.
Our greatest appreciation to Freebirds World
Burritos for supporting our mission. Proceeds from their opening
date in San Antonio, TX went to benefit the work of Penny's From
Heaven Foundation, Inc. and Lackland AFB's Fisher House.
Penny's From Heaven Foundation, Inc. is going
national! Affiliating with
Soldiers'
Angels to form Penny's From Heaven
Soldiers' Angel Operation Support Dogs for our wounded warriors with
seen and unseen injuries, such as PTSD and TBI.
Power of Pets
- Shane Parsons,
the military liaison
for Penny's From Heaven Foundation, attended the celebration of the Discovery Network's Power of Pets
in New York City with Jeff Corwin, Niki Hilton,
and other celebrities.
Ohio
Mom Raising
Money for Dogs in Iraq
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, June 16, 2007
What do you get the son who has everything he needs?
That’s the question Starline Nunley faced while looking for a birthday present for her son, Maj. Parker Frawley. Her solution made it a special day for the military working dogs around Frawley’s Mosul, Iraq, duty station.
Nunley originally thought of buying her son, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s planning officer, a cooling vest. They come with packs that start to cool after being dunked in water or placed in a refrigerator for a short time.
"At home, if I put one in the shade in 85-degree weather it starts to turn white and you can feel it cooling,"" Nunley, of Springfield, Ohio, said in an e-mail.
But Frawley thought changing the cooling packs would be too much trouble with all the gear he has to carry, and he thought the Army had already taken care of his other equipment needs. So his mother —– the proud owner of three Australian shepherds —– decided to help her son by providing for the dogs who work with the soldiers.
"Most donations go to the soldiers. But who is finding the trip wires, the bomb-making materials, or the bombs; does the search and rescue; searches the vehicles while getting their paws burned on the hot asphalt; or cut up in the debris?"" Nunley asked. "Remember, they are working under the same extreme conditions as the soldiers are but without boots, hats, gloves, and they are wearing a fur coat all the time.""
She and the Gem City Dog Obedience Club of Dayton, Ohio, of which she’s a member, had raffles, spoke to various groups and visited other dog clubs to raise the money.
They soon had enough to outfit the 15 military working dogs at a kennel near Mosul with a cool vest, extra cool packs, a collapsible water bowl, a large toy,
Mutt Luks (booties to protect the dog's feet) and "dog goggles.
They outfitted 17 more dogs at a Baghdad kennel plus four dogs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base that will soon be leaving for Iraq.
They also sent over food containers to keep Iraqi rats out of the dog food.
"One thing that has become apparent is that no matter how we feel about the war, either positive or negative, we all support our soldiers, both two- and four-legged,"" Nunley said.
But the money kept coming in. So far the club has raised about $15,000, every bit of which has been used to help the dogs. Donations go to $300 kits that include $129 for a vest, $99 for a spare cooling pack, $22 for "doggles," and $52 for "Muttluk" boots.
Nunely says she has applied for charity status and was told there should be no problem getting it.
"(The project) has really taken off to a greater extent than I think she imagined,"" Frawley said.
Iraq has 45 military working dog kennels, though, and Nunley wants to keep going until all 300-plus dogs have what they need.
"They save our soldier’s lives every day,"" she said. "They deserve all they need to do the best job possible. Why should we expect them to do the best job possible without being properly equipped?"
Donations may be made to Support Military Working Dogs:
At any U.S. Bank location
Online athttp://www.supportmilitaryworkingdogs.org
By mail at:
Support Military Working Dogs
P.O.Box 122
Donnelsville, OH 45319
Therapy Dog Gracie makes new friends with members of the United States Army Drill Team and the Fife and Drum Corps after their performances at The Barracks at
Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) - April 19, 2008.
Dog Therapy
Doggies from Heaven
“Penny’s from Heaven” is more than just a song. To servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan it is a San Antonio organization offering encouragement and support through pet assisted therapy.
The Penny’s from Heaven Foundation is the brainchild of Patsy Swendson. She should be a familiar name and voice to San Antonians – she was on KENS television and radio for twenty years and has written 49 cookbooks. Today, she also owns and operates Cook’s Cottage, a bed-and-breakfast in Fredericksburg, but her passion is working with and promoting therapy dogs.
It was Swendson’s veteran therapy dog, golden retriever Penny, who inspired her book, “Penny’s From Heaven: Stories of Healing.” Swendson founded the group in 2006 to “honor America’s fallen heroes by providing support and encouragement to our service men and women in rehabilitation, through pet-assisted therapy, offering hope and inspiration to them, as well as their families – nurturing, training and caring for the special dogs that provide therapy or services.”
She stresses that the dogs in the program aren’t just the “meet and greet” dogs that you might see in hospital or school settings, though those dogs certainly have a special place.
“We are different because we are utilizing the sensitivity and intuitive nature of the dogs as a modality to reach specific goals and expectations with the patients/clients.”
The dogs and their owner/handlers work with patients at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Institute of San Antonio (RIOSA), Fisher House and The Barracks at Brook Army Medical Center (BAMC).
Currently, there are ten volunteer teams who make up Paws on Therapy. Among them are Staff Sgt. Nathan Combs and his dog Bak,
a drug detection dog at Randolph AFB; and Pastor Barbara Galloway
Edgar of Coker United Methodist Church and her dog, Gracie. These
teams work with church and hospital settings.
“We work with the staff who let us know what the patient’s goals
are,” Swendson says. For example stroke patients might need help
working with their hands, and that’s when it would be beneficial to
brush a therapy dog. Patients with depression or in need of other
physical therapy after surgery also find help working with the dogs.
Their work with injured servicemen has been praised by animal and
veterans’ organizations, and best of all by the soldiers themselves.
“We even have prescription cards we made that remind a patient who
the dog was they worked with and ask them to (for instance) remember
the dog’s name,” which is a good memory exercise, Swendson adds.
In addition to their work with live dogs in therapy settings, the
foundation is hard at work providing stuffed animal toys for
children in war torn Iraq. Operation Puppy Love sends toys that
soldiers on patrol give to children in schools, on the street or in
the hospital.
The organization also sends K9 comfort packages to military dogs
hard at work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Donations are accepted from
around the country and sent to military bases.
From Scene in SA Dogs Used In Unique Therapy for Wounded Soldiers
- A rare look inside the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Dogs are being used as a unique form of therapy for wounded service members.
Therapy Dogs In Hospitals - Video news clip from CBS 11, KTVT, Dallas-Fort Worth. CNN did a number of news articles during Nov 07. Below are links to
some of those articles.
Therapy dog Penny receives attention from her owner Patsy Swendson
(from left), Avalon Marlin and Cpl. Shane Parsons during “Patriotic
Pops with the Patriotic Pups,” an ice cream social and presentation
of the Penny’s From Heaven Foundation’s “Paws-On Therapy” dogs. The
event was held to honor the dogs as well as the wounded soldiers who
receive pet assisted therapy.
Shane Parsons pets therapy dog Penny at the
Patriotic Pops
and Patriotic Pups event at Coker Methodist Church in San Antonio,
Texas.
Photo by Patsy Swendson.
Fostoria veteran finds saving grace in therapy dog By MARIAH MERCER
FEATURES EDITOR
If there's one Fostorian who needs a little
grace right now, it's wounded Iraq veteran Shane Parsons.
Fortunately, that's just what he got this summer, thanks to Patsy
Swendson. Actually he got Gracie, a therapy dog with the Penny's
from Heaven Foundation, which provides therapy dogs to wounded
soldiers.
Patsy is the author of more than 50 books, including "Penny's from
Heaven: Stories of Healing" and the founder of the Penny's from
Heaven Foundation, a group of therapy dogs that works with soldiers
and veterans, as well as parishioners, prisoners, abused children,
court witnesses and others. Most of the dogs, however are now
involved with "wounded warriors" returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan. Many of these soldiers are amputees, burn survivors or
have traumatic brain injuries.
Shane became involved with Patsy's therapy dogs while at the
Healthsouth Rehabilitation Institute of San Antonio.
"Excellence is seen each day at the hospital with Penny in
attendance. Often patients' memories begin to return, first words
are spoken after an injury, limbs begin to move, a forefinger
touches a thumb, eyes begin tracking Penny's movements, smiles
return to faces and there is a distraction from the pain," describes
the Penny's from Heaven Web site of the effects of the therapy dogs.
"Shane is just the most remarkable young man and his mom, they've
almost become family. They are the sweetest kindest people you'll
ever meet," Patsy said of Fostoria's favorite son.
The two met thanks to Gracie, Patsy's new therapy dog, a petite
basset griffon vendeen who has been almost totally blind since
birth. Patsy brought Gracie to see Michael Bisbee, another soldier
who was featured on Bob Woodruff's "Back from Iraq" special and
Bisbee's mother told Patsy that there was another young soldier who
would love to meet her puppy. That soldier was Shane.
"I followed her, because I really follow her, she doesn't follow me,
to Shane and Shane was in speech pathology," recalled Patsy. "I know
everyone in the hospital very well and the speech pathologist said
while we were there with Shane, (she'd) take a break. Gracie is a
short little dog, so Shane couldn't bend over to her or he'd lose
his balance, so I asked if I could put her on the chair with him."
Both Gracie and Shane were quiet and shy initially, but then the
little dog put her nose up to Shane.
"Because she's blind, the way she reaches you is through her nose
and she loves to give kisses on the cheek," said Patsy. "Normally
she's a very active little dog. But she sensed something in him,
because he was quiet, she was quiet, too. Then she put her head down
almost like she was bowing and he put his head on hers. The time
comes when the handler of a therapy dog needs to be quiet and it
seemed like a long time, but then Shane started rubbing her ears and
petting her back. ... It was just the neatest little moment."
According to both Patsy and Cindy Parsons, Penny, Gracie, Patsy and
Shane developed a close friendship.
The two had a memorable "date" when Coker United Methodist Church in
San Antonio hosted "Patriotic Pops for Patriotic Pups," a fundraiser
for her foundation. Handlers lined the aisles of the church as an
orchestra played the "Marine Hymn," "God Bless America" and other
patriotic tunes. Shane escorted Patsy down the aisle to the first
pew and waited with her until she had to get up and give her speech.
"I was getting apprehensive and I knew I was next and I was afraid I
was going to cry because the message I had was just so deep,"
recalled Patsy. "Shane grabbed my hand and said, 'don't worry, I've
got your back.' And that lump in my throat got 14 times bigger."
Patsy's efforts, including how she has helped Shane, was brought to
the attention of CNN. Shane was one of the soldiers interviewed by
Robin Meade of Robin and Company. Coincidentally, Meade is a former
Miss Ohio. The cable news network will feature the story Veterans
Day and the weeks before and after.
"The day of the interview Shane was a little restless, but he calmed
down when he saw Gracie," said Cindy. "It was an experience. The TV
crew was very friendly and kept all relaxed and joked."
According to Cindy, Shane is continuing his rehabilitation and
progressing.
"It is still a slow progression, although I can see a difference,"
Cindy added. Shane will be participating in an MS bike run in Texas,
from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. It is his first bike run.
"Shane is very busy with his schedule, but continues to push
forward," Cindy stated. Recently, Shane met with the San Antonio
Spurs basketball team and played wheelchair basketball with them.
"Patsy is just amazing and such a good friend to Shane. She has been
such a blessing," Cindy added.
For more information on Penny's From Heaven, visit
www.pennysfromheavenfoundation.org or www.pennysfromheavenbook.com.
For more updates on Shane's progress, log on to
www.caringbridge.org/visit/shaneparsons.
Contact features editor Mariah Mercer at:
mariahmercer@reviewtimes.com
Penny's
from Heaven's Executive Director, Patsy Swendson, was featured in
During
his 10-year military career Dustin Fleenor was exposed to mortar
blasts, one that broke his back and left him blind in his right eye.
Fleenor ran missions around the clock and is reluctant to recall a
riot that broke out at a POW camp. "That's why I quit sleeping
because I could see these things going on all the time," Fleenor
said. 
Penny's
From Heaven Foundation will be working in the state-of-the-art
facility at the AUDIE MURPHY VA ~ POLYTRAUMA REHABILITATION CENTER.
Kelsie
(from PFHF) was the "poster child" for the Stand Down when her
picture was used in the Department of Labor's newsletter article
about the event. 
