Warriors Wives and children enjoying the island.
The Women behind the Heroes are often unseen for the sacrifice they make for the love they have for their husband’s military service. The effects of war not only impact the Veteran, rather ripples through the lives of the wife and children. Charles and Joy Fryou know personally how war takes a toll on a family as their son served in the US Army. Joy’s passion for others and encouraging words was the foundation of a friendship with, Nicki Lowry, a local wife of a disabled Veteran who happened to be the President of Warrior Wives of Warriors Weekend.
Warrior Wives is a branch of Warriors Weekend that is a healing and support group for Wives, Fiancés, and girlfriends of Disabled or Killed in Action Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans. They hold meetings twice a month in Victoria and provide tools and support for the process of healing.
Charles and Joy have been involved with Warriors Weekend for many years and when they found a new way to meet a need they did it the Warriors Weekend way, BIG. Saturday, May 19, 2013, was the Warrior Wives 2nd annual trip to the Matagorda Island. Joy and Nicki corresponded back and forth for months planning and exchanging numbers of local wives that wanted to be a part of this experience. Also the Warrior Wives board members Lindsay Green, Vice president and Barbara Rheinschmidt, Service Coordinator helped with organizing the trip to the island.
The first year, Charles and Joy, used two boats to take four wives and their children to the island. This year with help from other Island patriots with a total of 5 boats they hosted 10 Warrior wives with a total of 13 children. The community on Matagorda Island “gets it” and spent the day fellowshipping with the Warrior’s families by barbecuing hamburgers, hauling back and forth to the beach, and building in the sand.
For one day these local wives didn’t have to think about their husbands disabilities or that their husband didn’t make it home. For one day their children got to watch “mommy” smile and laugh in the sand with them. For one day these families didn’t have to worry, but grow in the love that was shown to them which is essential in the healing process.
