Retired Navy Lt. Morgan Luttrell of Texas to accept two $100,000 grants from Infinite Hero Foundation for brain research, veteran care at Motorplex
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Oct. 6, 2016) – Houston native and retired Navy Lt. Morgan Luttrell isn’t content with nearly sacrificing his life to protect his country.
Since sustaining a major brain injury on a training mission in 2009, Luttrell has committed his civilian life to helping to combat brain injuries and their affects.
He was deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan during a 14-year military career, and since being granted a medical discharge in 2014, the brawny 6-foot-5, 230-pound Luttrell returned to Texas and discovered the Center for Brain Health, part of the University of Texas
at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences where he was treated for his traumatic brain injury.
What he observed while there set him on another course that led him to earn his Master’s degree, and he is currently on a doctoral track to become a cognitive scientist at the University of Texas at Dallas.
On Friday (Oct. 14) at 3:30 p.m. during the AAA Texas NHRA Fallnationals in the Texas Motorplex’s Champion’s Club, Luttrell will be presented with $100,000 grant from the Infinite Hero Foundation (InfiniteHero.org) for the ReBOOT program (BootCampaign.org) where he is director of development and working to develop a comprehensive, individualized, multi-disciplined approach to increasing mental and physical well-being for our nation’s veterans.
Infinite Hero will also present a $100,000 grant to the Airpower Foundation (AirPowerFoundation.com) that works in conjunction with Infinite Hero and ReBOOT to provide continued treatment for veterans at no charge at Brain Treatment Centers in Orange County, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., with plans to expand to the East Coast next year.
Making the presentation to ReBOOT and to Luttrell will be Infinite Hero Foundation executive director Laurie Baker and philanthropist Terry Chandler, who has funded the Infinite Hero Funny Car racing program at Don Schumacher Racing for the past three years.
ReBOOT tackles the root cause of the struggles affecting so many of our brave servicemen and women. This truly unique program brings together best of class among mental and physical treatment partners. Thorough diagnostic evaluations each veteran gets the specific care they need to live a fulfilling life after service.
Also attending the presentation in the Texas Motorplex prestigious Champion’s Club will be Boot Campaign’s chief executive Robyn Payne, Airpower Foundation board members Dr. Don Shelton and Major General (Ret.) Kevin Pottinger, DSR owner Don Schumacher and 2012 NHRA Funny Car world champion Jack Beckman, who drives the Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car and is an Air Force veteran.
Chandler, a native of New Mexico, funds the Infinite Hero team along with DSR’s Make-A-Wish Funny Car. Neither organization contributes any funding to the teams. Chandler’s program has raised nearly $500,000 for Infinite Hero and has brought tremendous awareness to some of the most difficult issues facing our returning military heroes and families.
This season, Beckman has raised more than $120,000 through the sale of special military “challenge coins.” He carries at least 10 on each run down the track and then personalizes each for fans making a $100 donation to Infinite Hero.
Morgan’s career destiny started when his U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter crashed into a combat support ship, killing one and injuring eight, including Luttrell. He remembers falling out of the helicopter and hitting the top deck of ship and being blown to another deck when the helicopter exploded.
His back was broken in six places with major damage done to his spinal cord. He was in a body cast for about six months. He also suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and endured sharp headaches and dizziness for months.
Morgan Luttrell’s identical twin brother, Marcus, also suffered serious injuries while serving as a Navy SEAL, who went on to write the bestseller, Lone Survivor, a first-person account of a harrowing battle in Afghanistan that was later made into a Hollywood film.
Follow these links for more information on Morgan Luttrell and ReBOOT:
- http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/health-and-fitness/health/20160810-navy-seal-turned-scientist-works-to-solve-the-puzzle-of-battlefield-brain-injuries.ece
- http://cw33.com/2016/08/03/ReBOOT-program-aims-to-help-support-veterans-health/
FOR INFORMATION:
Jeff Wolf, Don Schumacher Racing
702.524.1368 or wolfj@shoeracing.com