Lt. Col. Dan Rooney was home from his second tour of duty in Iraq when his life changed.
Waiting at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport for a lift to Grand Rapids, Michigan, Rooney got on United Flight 664 and saw a corporal sitting in first class. When the plane landed, the pilot got on the intercom and Rooney found out who the corporal was.
“I’m announcing that we’re carrying the remains of Corporal Brock Bucklin on this flight, who was killed in Iraq, and his identical twin brother, Corporal Brad Bucklin, was in first class,” said Rooney, this week’s guest. GOLF Subpar podcast. “And I saw a lot of bad things in combat, as we do as vets, but I never saw that side of the war. And I remember seeing his whole family, the darkest night of his life, his brother walking on the asphalt, his parents, his wife, and he had a 4-year-old son.
Stepping off the plane, Rooney said he “felt the hand of God.”
His idea to start Folds of Honor took off from there; he talked about it with his wife and soon the movement was launched. Now, nearly two decades later, Folds of Honor has awarded more than 86,000 scholarships valued at nearly $400 million to spouses and children of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders. (Golf remains a major focus, pillar and source of fundraising.)
“We all want goals,” Rooney said. “That’s why I started this thing. What are you willing to die for? What gives meaning to your life? And this has been the great gift of Folds of Honor to all of us who are in its orbit, to feel the purpose of being part of something bigger than yourself and support these military families.”
You can listen to the full interview with Rooney hereor look YouTube below.
“>
