Where to begin, the first time we heard of Legacies Alive is when Chris Ring was swimming the Mississippi River. First thing I thought is no way, when the guys were in Iowa we had the honor to spend about 3 weeks with them. What a Great group of guys, they never once wanted to talk about themselves, they wanted to hear our stories of our loved ones. We shared our story about our son Sgt Michael Ristau who KIA 7-12-13. We also have a 12 yr old daughter and a 25 yr old son, we were all having a problem excepting our loss, Chris, Matt, Seth, Justin, Mark and the rest of the crew talked with us and we were able to start excepting it because we know he will never be forgotten. Our daughter Halie has such a great bond with Chris now and I think they will continue for many years. Legacies Alive made our dream come true and we were able to go to the Army/Navy game. We cant wait to see what the next challenge is and hoping Iowa is included in it so we can continue to share these ventures. Love all of you, From The Ristau Family
I can’t think of a better way to honor the lives of our fallen hero’s than the way that Legacies Alive does it. The families, friends and loved ones of all the fallen hero’s will never be forgotten thanks to Legacies Alive!
The Legacies Alive mission has touched my heart and changed my life beyond words. It is an honor to be a part of this family and to learn more about our heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep their legacies alive forever!
The most authentic and caring organization I have ever worked with. Truly live by their mission and put Gold Star families FIRST.
This is wonderful organization that gives to the Gold Star Families with all their heart. They are very attentive to all the families.
As a Gold Star Father, I cannot thank Legacies Alice enough for the support and love they have shown our family. From the day we met Mike, Mark and Alex on the original Mike’s Hike For Heroes, we have formed a bond that will never be broken!
The best military family! We lost our son, 2nd LT Anthony Scardino , 08-08-2014. I was their when they swam the Mississippi River. Was so proud of Chris when he was able to reach marker “Zero” . We were able to meet with him an$ tell him about our son
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I volunteered to do some work for the Legacies Alive. I have never been more impressed of a non-profit organization that I have volunteered at. The leadership is truly committed to the cause and makes an incredible impact on people’s lives. The Gold Star Families that Legacies Alive helps are extremely grateful. There is not another organization that I would rather commit time and money to. Truly one of a kind.
Legacies Alive is a great organization! My son SGT Michael Ristau was KIA (Afghanistan) in 2012. When Chris Ring was swimming the Mississippi, we heard about him stopping in Dubuque, Iowa. We live about 30 minutes from there, so my daughter and I went to meet him. I was in a very dark place from loosing my son and just could not get out. We met the guys and ended up going out to eat with them. We wanted to know more about the guys but they wanted to know so much about Michael and his story, which made me feel really good. My daughter Halie connected immediately with Chris. Legacies Alive has been a BIG part in our healing, I can honestly say that if we would not have gone to meet the guys I don’t know where I would be today. They are always a phone call away when we need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on. Every year since then they have invited us to the Army/Navy game to spend quality time with them. My self, husband and daughter look forward to seeing them every year in December. Hanging out at the tailgate party is so much fun. Thanks for all you do for our Fallen Soldiers Families, Love all of you ❤️
I’ve had the incredible opportunity to volunteer for Legacies Alive two years in a row, allowing me to visibly see the difference this NonProfit organization makes in the lives of many people. They’re an inspiration to many and their support will always continually touch the hearts of many.
LA helped with our fundraI sing efforts for the Chris Moon Memorial. They provided more than $60,000 of the $75,000 needed. Thanks to their un-wavering support, we were able to un-veil Chris's statue April 2017. Thank you Mike & Laura Viti, Mark & DJ Faldowski, Nicole Parke and the entire LA family for helping us to realize the dream of honoring our fallen patriot!
Legacies Alive is a unique and inspiring nonprofit that fills a necessary gap in providing for Gold Star families. The challenges and outreach that Legacies Alive inspires are without compare in the nonprofit sector. Not only is this a worthwhile organization, but a model for how other nonprofits can motivate communities behind important causes and ideas.
Gold star families are so important to this group. They were responsible for my daughter being able to reach out to all gold stars families from San Diego to the world trade center.
She lost her son in 2010 and this was her wish to remember her son and let Gold Star Families know were not alone, that Legacies Alive was there for them. Without them she could not accomplished this. They have also contributed to our Veterans park. Great to be a member of this family. She and her riding partner Mike were interviewed on Fox news. I do not know how to include the video.
I met Chris Ring as he swam the Mississippi River for Gold Star families. Its just hard to comprehend how difficult that had to be. He and Legacies Alive will always be near and dear to our family.
An honorable and dedicated organization lead by combat veterans with a strong passion behind the drive to raise awareness and support for our fallen Veterans. High values separate Legacies Alive in mandating more than 97% of the funds donated go directly to supporting the Legacy and Families of the Fallen. We consider it a privilege to support and volunteer for the mission they have chosen. A pair of shoes that can never be taken off, Gold Star Families often feel abandoned after their loved ones are laid to rest. These wounds while not visible, however still crippling is the work this organization wants to help Heal. The gave an Allegiance to Serve Our Country and that they did! Please consider remembering those Fallen and contribute towards the healing and keeping their Legacies Alive. Let the Healing Begin!
Joe and laura
Compassionate non profit with the mission of Gold Star Family support. This organization was founded by combat veterans who walk the walk and support Gold Star Families with compassion giving them comfort that their sacrifice will not be forgotten erecting memorials and bringing Gold Star families together. Check out Mikes Hiking for Heroes and Legacies Alive to learn more.
Our son Army SPC Joseph Alan Kennedy was KIA on 15APR2011 in Sini, Afghanistan by small arms fire when his unit was ambushed by insurgents on their way back to FOB Andar. It was the beginning of a journey that we were unprepared to travel as a Gold Star family.
In June of 2015 we learned of a Navy combat veteran that was on a mission to swim the entire length of the mighty Mississippi to raise awareness of what a Gold Star family is. We live in a MN river community and the connections were made very quickly.
It is our privilege to have met some of America's finest men and women involved in Legacies Alive
This organization has their heart in the right place. They are doing amazing work to support the families of America's fallen heroes.
God bless each and every one ... and bless their mission. They are our future leaders.
All at Legacies Alive are selfless and humble. I've never met such an amazing team! It was an honor to work along side them.
This organization is an amazing gift to the community of Gold Star families. As a gold star sister, I am moved by their integrity, their compassion, and their authenticity. They genuinely care about keeping their brothers' and sisters' legacies alive. They are the real deal.
This is a wonderful nonprofit truly dedicated to helping Gold Star families keep the legacy of their fallen hero alive. This is so important to the well-being of these surviving families.
Legacies Alive is a wonderful organization made up of wonderful people. They are so dedicated to serving Gold Star families and bringing awareness and support to those who have lost a loved one in service to their country. Each event that I have attended that they put on has been nothing short of spectacular. They put so much thought and care into everything they do, and the opportunity to meet and socialize with other Gold Star families is a gift I didn't even realize I needed. They deserve every award for their dedication and hard work for families like mine. We love them so much and are grateful for the lifelong friends we have met because of Legacies Alive as well as the friends we have made in Legacies Alive. They are incredible, thoughtful, selfless people who are using their passion to do good for others.
The integrity, honor, and dedication exhibited by every team member of Legacies Alive for such a needed cause is remarkable. Never have I met such a selfless, professional, and well executed charity in all of my volunteer services. By supporting, attending, and meeting the families it was clear to see how important and needed this charity mission is and the support they provide is priceless. By volunteering with Legacies Alive there is no question the value is added with the time you spend and the money that is donated --you are able to see first hand the direct support to the families.
As a Gold Star mother more people seem to care about how mu son died rather than how he lived. I am sure that I am not the only Gold Star that feels this way. The wonderful men and women involved with Legacies Alive truly care about my sons life and ensuring his legacy is remembered. This is an incredible group of men and women caring about our fallen and the families left behind. I encourage everyone to follow them and learn what a Gold Star is and how to help us remember our heroes. It is not about how they died it is about how they lived that is the legacy.
It was an honor and privilege to assist Legacies Alive on a recent campaign. Never have I met a more dedicated, selfless and humble group of veterans, families and volunteers. Without a doubt the best grass roots charity working to ensure that our fallen and their families are NEVER forgotten.
Legacies Alive is the standard-bearer for nonprofits focused on the memories of our fallen military personnel and the families left behind. It's because of their efforts that Carry The Load selected them as a nonprofit partner in 2015. Their Legacy events (walking across the U.S. and swimming the length of the Mississippi River) speak volumes for the dedication they have toward raising awareness and ensuring our Gold Star families know how deeply we care for their sacrifice and the selfless service of their loved one. Our military will remain the tip of the spear in the war on terror for years to come. I only hope our service members have a little more piece of mind knowing an orgization like Legacies Alive will be there for those who are left behind.
This is a great organization that is truly committed to the values that make this country great. It is rooted in selflessness and reminds us of what our country truly represents.
Mike Viti and Mark Faldowski have done a great job with this organization and have created great opportunities to highlight the importance of remembering our fallen - and they have done so by honoring and recognizing Gold Star families.