The White House, The Independence Fund Honor Wounded Heroes in DC

Contact The Independence Fund to access the media kit and connect with wounded heroes.

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- White House Officials and the national non-profit The Independence Fund hosted Veterans and their families at the White House in honor of North Carolina's 5^th Annual Wounded Heroes Day.

Wounded heroes from across the country joined elected and appointed officials for a ceremony at 3 p.m. in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building's Indian Treaty Room.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Security Tulsi Gabbard, and Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka spoke during the ceremony to support Wounded Veterans and Wounded Heroes Day.

"This day is not just a day set aside as Wounded Heroes Day," Collins said. "This is the beginning of what I would believe is to be every day that we honor those who gave so much to us and wear the scars of our nation."

After the ceremony, the wounded heroes met with President Donald J. Trump to discuss their experiences as heroes to our nation. The group was featured live on TV as President Trump signed Executive Orders and autographed the heroes' prosthetics.

The Independence Fund is treating these Veterans, their Caregivers, and their families to several days in the nation's capital. During this time, they will have the opportunity to meet with officials and enjoy local activities.

Since 2021, the State of North Carolina has recognized April 24 as Wounded Heroes Day to honor the state's many wounded heroes. The special day occurs every year in April in recognition of US Army Veteran SGT Michael Verardo, who suffered life-altering combat injuries in an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan on April 24, 2010.

Like many heroes dedicated to defending freedom, SGT Verardo made incredible sacrifices and carried the scars of war with him. Since that fateful day, he has undergone over 120 surgeries and years of speech, visual, physical, and occupational therapies.

The state of North Carolina passed House Bill 138/Senate Bill 132 with support from The Independence Fund to acknowledge the servicemembers who return home wounded, and the families who support them endlessly.

Sarah Verardo, the Chief Executive Officer of The Independence Fund, has led efforts across the country for nearly a decade to advocate for Veterans, their Caregivers, and their families.

"April 24, 2010, is my husband's Alive Day," says Verardo. "It's a day we recognize yearly, as the day he survived against all odds. So many Veterans and their families honor days like this, and the country can celebrate with them."

When a Veteran returns home from war, their family absorbs a lot of the responsibility and sacrifice required to help these heroes reintegrate into their community and move forward with the new scars they carry. From physical wounds to mental, no reintegration is easy.

Wounded Heroes Day is dedicated to honoring the unique experiences and struggles wounded Veterans face.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Katie Koenig – Communications Manager for The Independence Fund
[email protected]
704-712-5380

ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE FUND: 

Founded in the halls of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, The Independence Fund was born to care for our nation's most catastrophically wounded surviving service members from the Global War on Terror. With an expansion to caring for the warfighter's family and all generations of wounded, ill, and injured heroes. The Independence Fund stands in the gap to help combat Veterans, active military, and wartime Allies with unmet needs. By restoring independence to those who sacrificed their independence so that we can remain a nation of freedom, The Independence Fund deploys tangible programs to restore our Veterans' and families' physical, spiritual, and emotional health. Known for the hallmark all-terrain track wheelchair program, The Independence Fund has provided over 2,600 trackchairs to severely wounded American heroes.

ABOUT SGT MICHAEL VERARDO:

Retired Army SGT. Michael Verardo served as an Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne until his medical retirement in 2013. He deployed with Bravo Company 2/508th Parachute Infantry Regiment to conduct combat operations in August 2009, and the unit suffered a 60% Purple Heart rate. Wounded initially on April 10, 2010, Michael requested to be returned to duty and was wounded on his first foot patrol just two weeks later. This patrol had catastrophic and life-changing consequences. The improvised explosive device immediately blew off Michael's left leg, much of his left arm, and left him with burns over 35% of his body, a traumatic brain injury, severe facial damage, damage to his airways, and other polytraumatic conditions that required a field blood transfusion. On April 24, 2019, Mike's ninth alive day, he had his 120th surgery post-Afghanistan. His condition has required years of physical, occupational, speech, and visual therapy. Listed initially as death-imminent post-injury, Michael has continued to defy the odds and has gone on to enjoy adaptive athletics, most notably competitive pistol shooting, and is an active participant in his church and community in North Carolina.

SOURCE The Independence Fund