I am not sure if you remember Bob Woodruff but you'll be seeing a lot of the Woodruffs on TV over the next few days.
They are dear friends. Their marriage, their family, their strength, is an inspiration to me. And they are telling a story about veterans that deserves our attention. Below is a note that explains it all.
Dear Friends:
It has been slightly over one year since a bomb literally blew apart ourlives when Bob was critically injured by an IED in Iraq. Our year has been hellish, and yet we consider ourselves infinitely fortunate as Bob continues to exceed all expectations for recovery.As you may know, Bob and I have written a book called In An Instant. It's about our journey over this past year and reflects back to our earlier life together as a couple and family.
It also sheds some light on the kind of trauma that so many families with loved ones returning from Iraq with life changing injuries are enduring. Though the book publicity will momentarily shine the spotlight on ourselves, it is all for a good cause as we hope to use the opportunity to engage in some grassroots guerilla marketing. While Bob was medically sedated in Bethesda Naval Hospital, I saw more suffering than I could have ever imagined. Young mothers, separated from their children for weeks, waiting by the bedside of their injured husbands; men in the ICU next to Bob dying, their families hunched in grief. Sometimes there were soldiers with no one to visit them, alone in their rooms, trying to make sense of how one minute they were with their buddies and the next they are waking up without a limb or so addled they could no longer read or speak. And as awful as the first weeks of recovery are for the patients and families, the difficulties they facefor long-term rehabilitation are equally challenging.
In addition to the book launch, on February 27th at 10:00 PM, Bob will report "To Iraq and Back" on ABC- a documentary about his personal struggle with traumatic brain injury and that of other soldiers. It will be a sobering look at what injured service men and women experience when they return from war and, sadly how many of them are not as fortunate as Bob. No matter what your feelings are about the war in Iraq, these young people served their country and Bob and I would like to help them get the highest level of care necessary to regain their health, support their families, and return to as normal a life as possible.
The military medical teams are performing so many miracles, saving lives in record numbers, more than any war in history. But down the road, once they are discharged from their acute care situation many of the injured do not receive the long-term rehabilitative care that they need, in particular, the cognitive therapy is sometimes terribly inadequate or non-existent. To that end, our family has created the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury (BWFF). We are committed to raising money for this important causeduring and after our book tour through special events and promotions. We will focus on donating to existing organizations that are helping all members of the military receive cognitive rehabilitation.
During the past year so many of you have reached out to our extended family and offered your support and assistance, and we are turning back to you now to help the men and women from the military that need your support. Beginning February 27th you can log on to http://bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org/ to learn about our mission, and consider making a donation. You can also pre-order the book today online at Barnes and Noble or Amazon. Aportion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to BWFF.
We have also included a media schedule of our national television appearances and book signings below. We would be grateful if you would forward this email onto interested family and friends and hopefully encourage them to help us with our fundraising goals.
Yours, Lee and Bob Woodruff
National Print
People Magazine--3/1 on stands
Ladies Home Journal-- April
O Magazine--feature interview with Lee and Melanie Bloom-- April
National TV
Feb 27 - Oprah Winfrey Show--
Feb 27 - ABC-TV--Good Morning America (Bob only on ABC documentary)
Feb 27 -ABC-TV--World News Tonight Feb 27 - ABC-TV--To Iraq and Back: BobWoodruff Reports-- Feb 28 - ABC Good Morning America Lee and Bob Feb 28 - National Public Radio --Morning Edition Feb 28 - National Public Radio--Fresh Air March 1 -- CNN--Larry King Live March 3 - CNBC--Tim Russert Show March 3 or 4 - Good Morning America weekend March 5 - ABC-TV--The View- March 6 - Fox News Channel--On The Record With Greta Van Susternan-- March 8 -CNN--Wolf Blitzer March 9 - PBS--Charlie Rose Show-- March 13 - CNBC--Hardballwith Chris Matthews- March 5 - Comedy Central--The Daily Show with Jon Stewart-(Bob only) March 22 - ABC TV--Jimmy Kimmel Live March 22 - NationallySyndicated--Ellen DeGeneres Show BOOK TOUR APPEARANCES Readings and Signings DETROIT - Saturday, March 10 2:00 PM, Borders Books in Birmingham 34300 Woodward Birmingham WASHINGTON, DC - Tuesday, March 13 The Friendship Heights Village Center in Chevy Chase, 7:30 PM CHICAGO - Thursday, March 15 Union League Luncheon, 11:30 AM, 65 West Jackson Blvd Andersons Bookshop, Naperville, Ill- 7:00 PM NEW YORK - Friday, March 16 , Barnes & Noble Lincoln Triangle, Broadway and 65thSt. 7:00 PM LOS ANGELES - Wednesday, March 21, Pasadena, 6:30 PM, Vromans Bookstore,Off-site Event, Pasadena Public Library, 285 E. Walnut Street SAN FRANCISCO - Friday March 23 Book Passage, Corte Madera, 51 Tamal Vista 7:00 PM SEATTLE - Monday, March 26 University Books SAN FRANCISCO - Tuesday, March 27, The Commonwealth Club, 595 Market Street 6:00PM BOSTON - Wednesday, April 11, The Harvard Club- luncheon at noon 7:00 Barnes and Noble, Framingham, 1 Worcester Rd RYE - Friday April 13, Rye Free Reading Room, evening time TBD Thank you Bro
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