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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Holly Springs, NC, United States, 02/08/2008 - Cpl. Timothy Bredberg served as a medic in Iraq with the 1st Infantry, 32nd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division in 2003 for a thirteen month deployment in Iraq, and was repeatedly barraged with roadside bomb attacks, IED’s and mortar fire.
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Throughout his deployment Timothy saved many lives, but also saw many young lives pass before his eyes.
“We were at a camp almost midway between Fallujah and Ramadi. There was a platoon ahead of us and the truck that was two in front of mine got hit by a roadside bomb that was hanging from a tree,” Bredberg remembers. “We tried saving them, but after it was all over and we went back to camp, I was told that nobody from that truck made it. That was hard to take.”
Bredberg finally made it out of Iraq but now suffers from severe PTSD and has extreme knee problems and constant back pain. When he was medically discharged in 2006 the VA gave him a 100% disability rating. But his pain was the least of his problems.
“It’s hard to sleep at night because of the nightmares that I have,” said Bredberg. “Sometimes I wake up swinging thinking I’m back over there.”
Bredberg and his wife Stacey were in attendance in December of 2007 at the Road to Recovery Conference and Tribute sponsored by the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes (CSAH) in Orlando, FL when they learned something that would change both of their lives.
“We were sitting in one of the meetings at the conference, and people were standing up and sharing their stories,” Bredberg said. “This woman stood up and was telling the story of her son, Rory Dunn, and how half of his face had been blown off from a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2003. The man she was speaking of was alive, and was sitting next to her. When she said the name I turned to Stacy and said, ‘What name did she say?’ When she repeated the name I almost couldn’t believe it. Rory was one of the men in that truck that day that I thought never made it.”
When CSAH and Craftmatic met Tim and Stacey Bredberg at the conference, and learned about his incredible story, they knew that he had to be the next veteran to receive a free Craftmatic bed, courtesy of Elevation Beds, owners of the Craftmatic ® trademark, and CSAH the leading nongovernmental provider of emergency financial aid to severely wounded troops from the War on Terror.
“When I first learned that Rory was alive, it was like laying a ghost of mine to rest,” said Bredberg. “It doesn’t erase all the horrible things that I experienced over there but it definitely helps. I am so fortunate to be receiving this new bed, Stacy and I are so excited that I might now get a good nights sleep.”
Craftmatic and CSAH have teamed up to give away one bed a week to wounded troops in 2008.
CSAH identifies deserving troops and Craftmatic sends them a bed – no strings attached – as a way of showing appreciation for their sacrifice through the Craftmatic Cares program.
“Craftmatic is so proud to be able to help Tim sleep soundly,” said Eric Kraftsow, Elevation Bed, LLC. “The troops that we’re helping have given so much of themselves for our country. Working with the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes has provided us with the opportunity to donate a gift that we know will make a great impact in a hero’s life.”
Bredberg will be receiving his bed on February 12, 2008 at 10:00 AM EST.
About Craftmatic Adjustable Beds
Craftmatic® Adjustable Beds first began marketing electrically adjustable beds specifically designed for use in the world's bedrooms over 30 years ago. Today, Craftmatic is one of the world’s best known and respected trademarks for quality products. Craftmatic Adjustable beds are available in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
Over 1,000,000 Craftmatic Adjustable Beds are now in use in customer bedrooms around the world and attest to the fact that our unique beds are as durable as they are attractive and comfortable.
About the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes
The Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes (saluteheroes.org) is a 501 (c)(3), non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to helping the severely wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their families rebuild their lives. The organization is the top nongovernmental association helping wounded troops from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and since its 2004 inception, has assisted over 6,000 troops.
Over $11 million dollars has been distributed to date to prevent car repossessions and utility shut-offs while trips to sporting events, entertainment parks, and shows help service members boost morale, break the boredom of the routine of recuperation and help reintegrate wounded troops into civilian life. The annual all expense paid Road to Recovery Conference provides seminars, career counseling, job fairs, evaluations, and inspirational success stories.
CSAH has partnered with numerous celebrities including LeAnn Rimes, Dave Matthews Band, Gary Sinise, Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels, Regis Philbin and Big & Rich and Fortune 500 corporations like Kellogg’s, GNC and GM, to help further our cause.
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