"Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand."
--Mark Twain
Last Saturday, Hope For The Warriors® presented a unique night of entertainment to the people of Jacksonville--The Patriot Tour. The Patriot Tour is a comedy troupe of first responders--cops, firefighters, military and more. The comedy show, although it highlights first responders and military, was enjoyed by everyone in the audience.
This event was a fundraiser for Hope For The Warriors®. However, being true to our mission, we made the night about so much more. Along with the usual comedians in the tour, Hope For The Warriors® invited two Jacksonville-based, wounded veterans--both who were eager to jump on the stage and join the other comedians.
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| 1st Lt. Edwin Salau, Army National Guard (Ret.) |
Ed Salau took to the stage and quipped "I know what you are thinking--nice shorts." Then he added, "I got a new leg and I wanted to show it off."
The night allowed Ed to check "Stand Up Comedian" off his Bucket List. It also provided the attendees the gift of hearing a very funny man.
Salau served 11 years in the Marine Corps. In 2000, he joined the National Guard and was mobilized to Iraq in 2004. In November 2004, his vehicle was ambushed by insurgents. Along with a leg amputation, he suffered second-degree burns on the side of his face.
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| CWO4 Chris Hedgcorth, USMC (Ret.) |
Another veteran invited to stand on the stage was CWO4 Chris Hedgcorth. Chris is always very quick with the jokes and this night showcased his talent.
Hedgcorth highlighted how he was injured--by a 160 mm rocket. "It wasn't flying through air or bleeding that was so bad, it was the sudden stop."
Hedgcorth retired during the summer of 2010 after almost 27 years in the Marine Corps.
One more special person of interest who attended was Joe Pistone. Pistone volunteered for a special mission with the FBI in 1976. He took on the new persona of "Donnie Brasco" and infiltrated a notorious Mafia family. His story was made famous in a movie starring Johnny Depp.
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| Joe Pistone, aka "Donnie Brasco" |
To read more about this great evening, read the complete article posted by The Globe. All photos were provided by the paper.
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