It is with deep regret that I send you this email to inform you that yesterday, on Veteran's Day 11-11-11, fellow Gulf War veteran, lifelong veterans advocate, friend, and veteran brother Michael Woods of Shelbyville, Kentucky lost his long, courageous battle with 20 years of Gulf War related health issues.
Many of you will remember him from his many years of Gulf War Illness advocacy, including as the Executive Director of the National Gulf War Resource Center (NGWRC) between 2000 and 2004.
Others will remember Michael for his captivating testimony before Congress on Gulf War health issues, when he informed Congress that he had been prescribed "Obecalp" by the VA for his GWI health issues -- "placebo" spelled backwards.
Michael left behind his loving wife Jessica, 4 beautiful children, both parents, all his brothers and sisters, many other loved ones, and countless fellow Gulf War veteran friends who continue Michael's legacy fighting for desperately needed medical research and treatments for the 1-in-3 Gulf War veterans who, like Michael, have remained seriously ill since their 1991 Gulf War service.
A beautiful obituary and memorial service information is here: http://web1.lovinghonors.com/cgi-bin/CompanyInternal?stdout+116+shannonfuneralhome.com+102+4+2151
For those considering flowers or other similar gestures of kindness, please instead consider a donation to help defray the large medical bills left over for Michael's final health care. To date, $1,103 of his family's needed $10,000 has been raised. Donations can be made online at: https://apps.facebook.com/fundrazr/activity/42c2ca92c71047818d4cdefe0c807d26
Michael was released to home hospice on November 10th -- his 43rd birthday -- the day before he died.
Anthony
Anthony Hardie
Madison, Wis.
Email: anthony.d.hardie@gmail.com
- Publisher and Principal Author, 91outcomes.com: Health & News for Gulf War Veterans; Republished to http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/author/hardie
- Member, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (RAC-GWVI): www.va.gov/RAC-GWVI/Members_and_Consultants.asp
- Member, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Gulf War Steering Committee
- Consumer Reviewer, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) -- Gulf War Illness Research Program Integration Panel: http://cdmrp.army.mil/gwirp
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