Steven Prusakowski
This week, I was honored to attend the 20th anniversary celebration of Stand Up for Heroes, the annual fundraiser benefiting the Bob Woodruff Foundation, held at David Geffen Hall at New York’s Lincoln Center. It is one of the most inspiring nights of the year.
While names like Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Hasan Minhaj, and Alex Warren are certainly part of the draw, the entertainment isn’t what sticks with you. What is remembered after are the stories, the sacrifices, and the incredible impact made when people open both their pocketbooks and their hearts.
The Bob Woodruff Foundation was established in 2006 to support our nation’s veterans, service members, and their families, particularly those facing challenges after returning home from service. Unfortunately, we live in a world where some of the people most deserving of our gratitude and support are too often forgotten once their service ends. They have given so much of themselves for our country, yet far too many find themselves struggling to receive the care, assistance, and opportunities they deserve.
Over the past 20 years, the foundation has funded an amazing $228 million to support veterans and their families. The funds raised help provide physical and mental health care, housing assistance, employment and legal services, and much more to the vets. More than two million members of the military community receive such support each year.
For two decades, Bob Woodruff, alongside his wife, Lee Woodruff, and their dedicated team, has worked to make sure those who served our country are not forgotten. “These nights are really particularly special for me because they’re good at getting out the word that we all need to look out for vets and military families. They sacrifice a lot for us. This is effectively communicating that,” Woodruff shared on the red carpet with Awards Radar’s Jonathan Sim. (Watch all of Jonathan’s interviews at the bottom of the article.)
In 2006, while reporting for ABC News on the war in Iraq, Woodruff was critically injured by a roadside bomb, suffering a traumatic brain injury. Thankfully, he survived.
Rather than allow that tragedy to be the end of him or go back to business as usual, he turned it into an opportunity to make a difference. After having witnessed the struggles of wounded service members and their families during his own recovery, he decided to help others dealing with similar challenges.
On the red carpet, Lee Woodruff spoke about the moment that changed everything for them. “I think when Bob was injured. I think that would probably be the time. It’s a phone call nobody wants to get and it didn’t look like he was going to survive. And you just do what you have to do. And that really gave me an eye into what it’s like to be a military spouse in the sense that your person is injured and you just have to figure out how you’re going to get to the next day.”
Each year, timed to the New York Comedy Festival, the foundation holds its annual Stand Up for Heroes, a night of comedy, music, laughter, and many inspirational moments. The stage is shared by world-class entertainers and military heroes whose stories of courage and sacrifice remind attendees of the importance of the night.
This year’s celebration was especially meaningful, marking two decades of bringing people together for a cause that should never be forgotten. Among those recognized were Marines who responded to the deadly 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan. Their stories of bravery and the sacrifice are a powerful reminder of the incredible responsibilities placed on the shoulders of our service members, often under unimaginable circumstances. While brave as can be, many were just kids, with five of them under the age of 21. A sobering thought.
This year’s event began with The Resilient, a rock band formed by wounded combat veterans who refused to let their injuries put an end to their dreams of making music. Following the band’s performance, lead singer Timothy Donley delivered a beautiful and powerful a cappella version of the national anthem.
Throughout the night, the stage was filled with comedians Josh Johnson, a stand-up comedian and correspondent on The Daily Show, and Hasan Minhaj, a former Daily Show correspondent and host of Patriot Act. Both brought plenty of laughs, setting up the more moving moments.
Minhaj shared his thoughts on the red carpet, “What I love about events like tonight is seeing the community come out. And when I say community, I don’t mean just the community of veterans. I mean the community of people that are just operating from a place of their heart and just say at the end of the day what is right is to support our service members and their families.”
Musical guest Alex Warren also took the stage, sharing his family’s personal connection to the military before bringing his heartfelt pop music to the celebration and getting the audience rocking.
As the foundation’s CEO, Anne Marie Dougherty, emphasized during the pre-event reception, Stand Up for Heroes is apolitical. Supporting those who have served our country should be something that unites us, regardless of our differences.
While that is certainly true, that did not stop one of the evening’s headliners from taking some jabs at some of our current leadership. The great Jon Stewart (The Daily Show), who has supported Stand Up for Heroes since its earliest days and has long been a passionate advocate for veterans and their families. He did not pull punches during his set when poking fun and questioning the current employment of Mitch McConnell. Hilarious stuff.
And then there was another New Jersey representative that needs no introduction, but here’s one anyway, The Man. The Legend. The Icon. The Boss.
Bruce Springsteen closed out the evening, and as a longtime fan, I couldn’t have been happier. Springsteen has also been part of Stand Up for Heroes almost since its inception, returning year after year to lend his voice, his music, and also something that may surprise people… his comedy.
Not only did Springsteen perform four songs, he also had the audience, myself included, cracking up with some comedy of his own. The Boss can tell a joke, too. I’ll be sharing some of those moments soon. Be warned, he works surprisingly blue.
One of the night’s biggest moments came not from the entertainers, but from Craig Newmark, the billionaire philanthropist known as the founder of Craigslist, who announced a $28 million donation over the next five years, which brings his donation total to an incredible $100 million.
By the end of the night, the 20th annual Stand Up for Heroes had raised a record-breaking $5.9 million, bringing the event’s lifetime fundraising total to $123 million.
Below, you’ll find some video highlights from the performances and speeches.
The event may be over, but you can continue to support the Bob Woodruff Foundation by texting SUFH to 5355, or by visiting bobwoodrufffoundation.org.
RED CARPET INTERVIEWS
Comments
Loading…