Kimberly and I had the honor to perform for the Gary Sinise and Snowball Express Foundation in Nashville, a program which benefits children and spouses of fallen military members and first responders.
Snowball Express began in 2006, the mission is to provide hope and new happy memories to the children of the US Armed Forces fallen heroes who have died while on active duty. They bring children together from all over the world for a four-day experience filled with fun activities, like sporting events, amusement parks and more. Parents of children of the fallen often tell us that their child is distant, withdrawn or unwilling to talk about their loss. Participating in Snowball Express changes that, making each child feel special and giving them an opportunity to share their feelings about losing something so irreplaceable, their parent. What’s even more uplifting, these events connect the children and surviving spouses of the fallen with others going through the same experience. The children who attend the annual event walk away knowing they are not alone, and that we honor the sacrifice their parent made while serving our country.
When we first met the kids it was saddening to see their faces, but we noticed what the magic was doing for them; it was raising their spirits, boosting their moral and they were having an amazing time and that was the purpose for us being there.