FGL & Independence Fund provide track chair to a wounded veteran ahead of Thursday night concert in North Charleston.
Army Command Sgt Major Donald McAlister (Retired) talks with 94.3 WSC's Kelly Golden about FGL teaming up with the Independence Fund to provide a track chair to one of our very special wounded warriors. Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard present Staff Sergeant Mark Lalli an all-terrain Track Chair. This special chair allows wounded veterans the ability regain mobility and independence.
In December 2005, Lalli deployed to Iraq for a one year tour. After returning home for a few months, he would again deploy, but this time to Romania on a training tour. Just two weeks after this tour ended his crew was participating in a joint training exercise in Italy when his aircraft had a malfunction and was unable to recover.
During the crash Lalli’s crew lost 6 of the 11 service members onboard, and would suffer numerous injuries that would lead to his medical retirement from service in 2010.
Since his time in the military, Lalli has started working on an equine farm that assists other veterans through rides, mental health exercises, and retreats. He discovered his love for equine therapy while going through the same therapies that he now assists with. Spending more time on the equine farm and on his own land is important for Lalli, which is why he applied for an all-terrain chair from The Independence Fund in February of 2016.
“My wife and I live on an acre of land,” said Lalli. "I am looking forward to getting out and spending time on the land with my dog, and down the line with children.” “We love FGL,” Lalli added. “We bought tickets for a show back in summer of 2015, but we got married, and were on our honeymoon when the concert took place, so we missed the show. We are very excited to see them for the first time.”