Southwest The Magazine - October 2014 - (Page 24)

RAPID REWARDS FREEDOM STORY Program Manager, Lone Survivor Foundation Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Denise Grant HEALING AIDE Horses help Denise serve injured vets. 24 SOUTHWEST OCTOBER 2014 You may be familiar with the story of Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of a 2005 mission in Afghanistan to gather intelligence on Taliban leadership. His tale was made into the book and movie titled Lone Survivor. Survivor But there is another chapter of the story that you may not know, and it starts with Denise Grant. Marcus started the Lone Survivor Foundation to bring wounded service members the same kind of holistic treatment that helped heal him. He met Denise when she was working on wounded warrior advocacy programs for the U.S. Special Operations Command Care Coalition and recruited her to help develop similar programs for his foundation, including one in which veterans work with therapy horses. As the Lone Survivor Foundation program manager, Denise oversees retreats for service members suffering from invisible injuries such as combat trauma stress, mild traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain. While on retreat, participants and their families get to relax and recover away from their everyday environments. Retreat participants come from all over the U.S., and Denise knows she can rely on Southwest Airlines for the attendees' travel needs. "The service members are extra-sensitive to pressure and stress, so airport travel can be very difﬁcult for them," Denise says. "But when they encounter Southwest Employees, they're greeted with happiness, humor, and a willingness to help. It really brings the stress level down for everyone." She also credits Southwest's Bags Fly Free and no change fee policies for cutting the foundation's costs. "I don't have to worry about losing donated funds if we need to change or cancel a ﬂight. Without Southwest, we could lose thousands of dollars." But most of all, it's truly the People at Southwest who make all the difference for Denise. "It's a huge relief for me that our men and women are met with positive, welcoming attitudes. I can't thank Southwest enough." Thank you, Denise-and the Lone Survivor Foundation-for your loyalty. We're proud to be part of your inspirational work. To learn more about the foundation, visit lonesurvivorfoundation.org. -Cindy Villafranca PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARY BETH KOETH http://www.lonesurvivorfoundation.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Southwest The Magazine - October 2014

Southwest The Magazine - October 2014
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Saludos de Gary
You Made Our Day
Our Star
Rapid Rewards Freedom Story
From the Editor
Feedback
Eat Drink Sleep
Wise Guide
Numbers
Business
Funded!
Your Adventure In Dallas
Promotional Series: Focus on Franchises
Promotional Series: Focus on Women’s Health
Calendar
Fun!
Products and Services
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Flight Service
Information
Rapid Rewards
Terminal Maps
Route Map
The "If" List

Southwest The Magazine - October 2014