The Heroes Project and Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) have
partnered to support USMC Staff Sergeant Charlie Linville (retired), a
veteran who is disabled, as he
climbs to the peak of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain. His
journey begins this week.
The trek – “Operation Everest: 2014” – is the latest undertaking from
The Heroes Project, a nonprofit organization that takes military service
members, who have been severely wounded or suffer disabilities, on
transformational climbs to the world’s seven highest summits. As a
“Summit Sponsor,” Prudential has donated $100,000 for the cost of
Linville’s training and equipment.
On January 20, 2011, while conducting an IED sweep in Afghanistan,
Linville was hit by an explosive device. He suffered head trauma and
devastating injuries to his right foot and hand. In 2013, despite
multiple attempts at rehabilitation, his right leg was amputated below
the knee.
The Heroes Project was created by Tim Medvetz, who used mountain
climbing as a way to heal after a motorcycle accident in 2001 that
nearly claimed his life. Since then, Medvetz has taken wounded veterans
to six of the world’s seven highest summits.
“By scaling the world’s highest mountains, our heroes rediscover their
strength, pride and true potential. When we approached Prudential about
partnering, they immediately understood our vision and found a way to
support SSgt. Linville’s climb financially, while emotionally investing
in our mission,” said Medvetz.
“Staff Sergeant Charlie Linville and Tim Medvetz are extraordinary men
in every sense of the word, and Prudential is proud to support them.
Their ascent to the peak of Mt. Everest is a journey of determination
and courage. It underscores to veterans, individuals with disabilities
and anyone who has ever faced an obstacle in life that challenges can be
surmounted. They do not define us,” said Cathy Christian, a former Air
Force captain who is now a vice president in Financial Management for
Prudential, and president of VETNET, a Prudential business resource
group for veterans and veteran supporters.
Prudential will chronicle Linville’s ascent to the summit and back on Prudential’s
Bring Your Challenges Facebook page. Prudential's goal is to receive
at least 29,029 clicks for Linville on their Facebook page to match or
exceed the height of Mt. Everest.
About USMC SSgt. Charlie Linville
Thomas Charles Linville was born in Boise, Idaho on August 22, 1985. He
married his high school sweetheart, Mandi, in 2006 and has two
daughters. Eager to join the military, he enlisted in the Marine Corps
on January 22, 2006. He was deployed to Iraq from September 2007 to
April 2008, and to Afghanistan in October 2010. While conducting a sweep
of the surrounding area, Linville was struck by a tertiary device. The
explosion fractured his right foot and right middle finger. His middle
finger was amputated and after undergoing multiple surgeries, he lost
his leg to a below-the-knee amputation in 2013. Despite his injuries, he
will climb to the peak of Mt. Everest in the spring of 2014.
About The Heroes Project
Created in 2009 by Tim Medvetz, The Heroes Project is a nonprofit
organization that leads mountaineering expeditions with gravely wounded
veterans, enabling them to rediscover their strength and pride by
scaling the world’s most challenging summits. Medvetz used mountain
climbing as a way to heal after a motorcycle accident in 2001 that
nearly claimed his life. He has successfully taken wounded veterans to
six of the world’s seven biggest summits. For more information on The
Heroes Project, visit www.theheroesproject.org.
About Prudential
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with
more than $1.1 trillion of assets under management as of December 31,
2013, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin
America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to
helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their
wealth through a variety of products and services, including life
insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and
investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has
stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a
century. For more information, visit www.news.prudential.com.
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