Wounded Warriors receive surprise gift from 5th grader

It’s not a question of whether or not you’re smarter than a fifth grader? It’s really a question of whether or not you have a heart as big as a fifth grader’s.

Justin (JJ) Williams didn’t want much for his eleventh birthday on April 16— just a speed Rubik’s cube and timer, as well as some nice headphones. At his parents’ suggestion he considered giving his birthday money to a foundation. He chose the Wounded Warriors.

“We have a lot of things we volunteer for, and [Wounded Warriors] isn’t one,” JJ’s mom, Kristy Williams, said. “So I was a little surprised.”

“I was thinking about it for a couple of days…I saw the commercial about the guy who got back from war and his whole town welcomed him,” JJ said referring to Budweiser’s Super Bowl commercial.

“So I was thinking about soldiers and stuff and then I remembered the magnet…when I was like 5 or 6 we had a magnet for our fridge that was the Wounded Warrior guys.” JJ doesn’t know what happened to the magnet. But he remembers his dad, Robert Williams, a Captain at Mammoth Lakes Fire Department, talking about the Wounded Warriors that visit Station #1 each year.

Station #1 has been hosting a welcome dinner for Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra’s (DSES) Wounded Warrior events since 2008. DSES hosted the first event in 2007 with six participants, and in the middle of dinner at the Best Western (previously the Holiday Inn) the fire alarm went off. “Our guys went over and Kathy Copeland just invited them in,” said Fire Chief Brent Harper.

Everyone at the Fire Station still jokes that Copeland, DSES Executive Director, pulled the fire alarm just to rope the firefighters into the program. “I didn’t do it,” Copeland said. “But it turned out to be a great thing. [The firefighters] were great icebreakers. They knew how to talk to the guys and we really didn’t yet.”

“They just hit it off real well,” Harper said. “We’re a paramilitary organization; we understand rank and responding to emergencies.” The following year, Harper and the team at Station #1 offered to host the welcome dinner for the Wounded Warrior events, which they’ve been doing ever since. “It’s an opportunity to give back to some really brave heroes,” Harper said. “Our guys get together and BBQ for everyone. We found out it was just a good way to start out the week.”

When Williams got to work Monday June 2, he had forgotten the Wounded Warriors were in town again until he saw the grill. “And then I remembered JJ’s money on the fridge,” he said.

JJ raised $70 for the Wounded Warriors at his birthday party, which was held at Mammoth Rock n’ Bowl. At JJ’s request, Kristy wrote about the donation to Wounded Warriors on the invitations. Some of his friends donated extra for the Wounded Warriors and gave JJ gift cards or other presents.

“They were really generous,” Kristy said. “I think the parent’s were relieved. It’s hard to give cash at a kid’s birthday but it’s also hard to get them something that they would want at this age.”

“I didn’t even think I’d get that much. I thought I’d get thirty dollars total,” JJ said.

Brian called Kristy and invited the whole family down to the Station in order to present the money in person Monday night. In a room full of Wounded Warriors and their families, Copeland introduced JJ and announced his donation. JJ was then met by a standing ovation from the group, which brought Kristy to tears and shocked JJ. “I knew I’d get attention,” he said. “But I didn’t think I’d get that much.”

Both of JJ’s grandfathers were in the military and his cousin’s husband is Military Police. Other than that, JJ had never met anyone in the military before Monday night. “I expected more people in wheelchairs,” JJ said. “But I talked to Iron Mike. He was cool.”

Iron Mike is a decorated combat veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam who will turn 92 on June 13. Although many of the participants at DSES events have physical disabilities, the majority of Wounded Warriors experience the invisible wounds of war such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injuries. DSES takes them fishing, kayaking, cycling, rock-climbing and hiking throughout the week, allowing them to engage with others and focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities.

JJ wants to help out with more Wounded Warrior events in the future. He was born in Mammoth will finish 5th grade at Mammoth Elementary June 11.

“I really felt like this was his decision,” Kristy said about donating the money. “It wasn’t just us parents saying ‘okay, no more stuff.”

JJ agreed: “I could have said no, I want more video games.”