Madison R. is the daughter of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Kenneth Francis R.. She was six years old when he passed away, but remembers him being loving, caring, goofy, funny, and devoted to his family. “My dad’s military service means so much to me. The fact that he was willing to risk his life for our country and for our freedoms just shows how amazing of a man he was,” she explained.
With help from Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (Fallen Patriots), Madison graduated with a double major in communication and history at the University of Kentucky. “I think my dad would be most proud that I graduated college. I’m a first-generation college graduate and I know he would be proud of me for achieving something he and my family worked hard for me to have access to.”
Madison now serves as a Scholarship Administrator at Fallen Patriots because of the impact the foundation had on her during college. “The fact that I can give so many students that same opportunity is so rewarding, and I know I am making a difference in their lives.” Fallen Patriots funded her study abroad trip to London in 2017, which gave her the confidence to push herself socially, academically, and in her career. “If it was not for Fallen Patriots making London a possibility for me financially, I would not be the person I am today.”
There are approximately 25,000 children who have lost an active-duty parent in the military over the last 35 years. The vision of Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation is to ensure that every such child receives all necessary college funding.
