EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: The Medal of Awesome

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates at least 22 veterans commit suicide a day. One is too much. 22 is a reality. This documentary tells the story of three critically injured warriors and their highs, lows, and once again highs as they continue to be still in the fight. Their story was funded by a Wilmington man. The way he sprung into action….is ‘Extraordinary’.

“We will incorporate the color printer into the cell,” MyEmployees CEO David (Dave) Long said as he walked us around this facility in Castle Hayne. “This is a cell,” he explained. “I actually started this company 25 years ago in my Mom and Dad’s garage.”

It was a garage in Carolina Beach where he started a small engraving business. But this isn’t the story of a successful businessman.
“We help companies recognize and engage their employees,” Dave Long said describing his business.
It is, though, the story of what a successful businessman…did.

“I presented them their copy. The first 3 off the assembly line,” Dave said as he showed off a copy of the new documentary.

Dave long, of Wilmington, joined Marine Corporal Kyle Carpenter and Navy Seal Jay Redman at the Navy Marine Ball in Washington earlier this year(see pic). Not long after, Corporal Carpenter would become the youngest recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor awarded by President Obama in June at the age of 24.

Corporal Carpenter is one of three men featured in a new documentary called ‘Still in the Fight’.
Two Marines and one Navy Seal. The documentary was funded entirely by Dave after a local production company approached him with the idea. “He said Dave, we have been trying to get funding for two years to create this documentary.”

He was shown a promotional video and immediately opened up his checkbook. “It’s not chump change,” he said. “You’re flying people all over the country, living out of hotels for a while, so I talked with my wife about it and she said yes, that is really important.”

The documentary itself is about their ability to overcome critical injuries. An emotional journey both physically and mentally.
All ‘still in the fight’. “What we’ve done, we’re not interested in making money off our military. So what we’ve done is everyone of these people buy on amazon, there’s roughly 10 l left over. You pay amazon fulfillment, duplication, and shipping and there’s roughly 10 left from each one. These are 19.95. From that, we split that($10 split 4 ways).”

The profits go into four military charities that are highly respected. “We’ve funded it. That money is gone. What we wanted to do is we want as many people to buy these so they can go to help our military charities…and we know they need them.”

Yes they do, Dave. And we need more like you, too. If I could…I’d engrave you ‘Medal of Awesome’ award because what you have done to raise awareness for our wounded men and women coming back home is extraordinary.

Charities include America’s Fund, Fisher House, Navy-Marine Relief Society, and the Gary Sinise Foundation.

If you would like to purchase a copy of ‘Still in the Fight’ or want to know more about the documentary itself….check out their website by clicking here. www.stillinthefightfilm.com

To order directly….click the amazon link here. http://www.amazon.com/Still-Fight-DVD-Kyle-Carpenter/dp/B00J2W7CM6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396640001&sr=8-1&keywords=still+in+the+fight+dvd

If you would like to know more about David (Dave) Long’s business…check out their website by clicking here. www.myemployees.com

Thank you so very much to all men and women who have, and do, serve so that I get to have the freedom to tell these stories.
-Daniel