Cover Story: Heroes Meet Heroes 2024

On November 7, WeSalute held its fifth streaming of the “Heroes Meet Heroes” event, where military heroes meet Olympic heroes. Moderated by WeSalute co-founder and Chairman Scott Higgins, the annual conversation was started 12 years ago by WeSalute CEO Lin Higgins. It celebrates both the military and sports successes and similarities across two panel discussions. This year’s session was dedicated to Captain Paul “Bud” Bucha, a Medal of Honor recipient and longtime member of the WeSalute Advisory Board who passed away this year at the age of 80.

Veteran panelists included: Syed Faraz (US Air Force combat navigator, Harvard/Stanford graduate student, and Tillman Scholar);  Lt. Gen. Marty Steele (RET. U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, former Marine Corps Chief Operating Officer, and former CEO of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum).

Athlete panelists included: Priscilla Loomis (Track & Field Olympian, Hall of Fame inductee, Female Athlete of the Year recipient, National Record Holder, National Champion, and World Class Medalist); Katelyn Good (World-class Ice Dancer and Founder/Mental Performance Coach at Undeniably Good); Brendan Aronson (U.S. Navy Veteran, U.S. Naval Academy ‘12, and CEO of The Military Veteran); Bonnie Carroll (U.S. Air Force Reserve Veteran, Major, and President & Founder of Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors); David Caruth (U.S. Army Veteran, WeSalute Advisory Board member, and Marketing Manager: Base Strategy & Planning / Global Head of Operation for VALOR - Verizon Consumer Group); Donna de Varona (U.S. Olympic two-time gold medalist, Swimming, & Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster).

And panelists who served both in the military and as world-class athletes: Sally Roberts (2x World Bronze Medalist in Wresting, Combat Veteran, and Co-founder and CEO of Wrestle Like A Girl); Dr. Phil Shinnick (U.S. Air Force Veteran, and U.S. Olympian, Long Jump).

WeSalute would like to send a thank you to longtime benefit partners: presenting sponsor Avis Budget Group, and patriotic sponsors Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, IMAX, Brookdale Senior Living, and 1-800-Flowers.com.

“I don’t think the athletes on this call feel like we’re the heroes. We honor the heroes that go to war and protect our freedoms,” began Donna DeVerona, who went to Vietnam in 1969 with the USO. In both panels, the speakers shared mutual respect and admiration for each other’s accomplishments and resiliency. Both the athletes and the veterans spoke about overcoming obstacles, making sacrifices, self-motivation, and transitioning between careers - laying down the parallels between elite sports and the military. 

Sally Roberts, both an Olympic wrestler and Army veteran, led the first panel.

“I have two resumes. I have one resume that highlights being a two-time World bronze medalist, a combat veteran in special ops that has won many awards and accolades, I founded an organization,” she said. “And I have another resume that shows that I’ve had over seven surgeries, three concussions, a TBI, PTSD, and I really had to endure tremendous mental hurdles. What I’m reaffirmed of time and time again is that the hurdles are never meant to keep us out. They’re meant to prove and reaffirm how badly we want something.”

A common question from the virtual audience was about pain and dealing with physical and mental suffering. Dr. Phil Shinnick spoke at length about healing oneself and finding something that counter balances the pain, such as art, meditation, and belly breathing. DeVerona suggested getting into water to move with weightlessness. 

“When you have pain, you have to move. You have to work on your life and move beyond it and not let it take you down,” Dr. Shinnick advised, noting that he suffered 27 injuries and 4 concussions in his life. “Pain is a good impetus to get to a higher level and get out of the pain.”

In the second panel, Lt. General Martin Steele mentioned progress with the VA.

“What I am so optimistic about is that in the last 18 months, we have had some breakthroughs with the VA in their understanding of their moral responsibility in regards to treating veterans holistically. We’re getting there. It’s going to be a journey that we’re all on.”

Several panelists mentioned great advice for maintaining mental health, staying present, and finding purpose. Roberts was an athlete and didn’t make the Olympic team in 2008. That drove her to enlist in the military. She discovered that, “Wherever my feet were at is where my head needed to be.” Katelyn Good was forced to retire from skating at age 21. She found that “Our mind is our greatest asset if we can train it,” encouraging viewers to win the fight with yourself, working through the inner battle with negative thoughts.

You can watch the two events here: