Aug 17, 2007 7:33 pm US/Central
Parents Of Fallen Soldier Organize Golf Fundraiser
by John Reger
(WCCO)
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Twenty-two-year-old sergeant Bryan McDonough was driving a HumVee in Fallujah last December when a roadside bomb exploded, killing him instantly.
McDonough Family
A couple from Maplewood started on a mission when their son was killed in Iraq. Tom and Renee McDonough wanted to help the families of Minnesota Army National Guard members who have come home with combat injuries.
Friday, their mission led them to the Oak Glen Golf Course where they'd organized a fundraising golf tournament.
Twenty-two-year-old sergeant Bryan McDonough was driving a HumVee in Fallujah last December when a roadside bomb exploded, killing him instantly.
"Then we thought how do we keep his name alive," said his father Tom.
The McDonough's started a foundation when they wrote their son's obituary, requesting friends and family to send donations instead of memorials. The first funds went to a soldier riding with Bryan when the bomb went off. The soldier lost his legs in the blast.
"Having lost our son, we have a really strong connection with anybody serving in the military," said Tom, "and especially the families of the fallen, we know how they feel."
The Bryan T. McDonough Foundation has given money to families so they could visit soldiers hospitalized out of state. It has also provided household appliances to needy families.
More than 350 golfers gathered for the all day tournament, which included a silent auction and banquet. Some
soldiers from Bryan's unit were on the links too. Their entire unit returned home in July after 16 months in Iraq.
"It's a fun way to honor our friend and raise money for a good cause," said specialist Nick Maurstad.
In the middle of the day, a missing man formation of four planes flew overhead while a bugle sounded "Taps."
Donations are being accepted by contacting www.americanheroesgolf.com.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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