The New England Spas family is honored to be a part of the ongoing effort to support and uplift the great people who’ve served our country. We’d like to share stories from a few of the incredible veterans we were able to gift hot tubs to for May’s Wish For Our Heroes. We’re so glad we could touch the lives of those who have protected and fought for the lives of so many others.
Rich Olson
Nominated by his wife, Rich Olson is a veteran who needed relief from chronic pain associated with injuries. He received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart during his tours. In April 2011, he was wounded in combat from an IED blast.
Since then, he’s struggled with back, shoulder, and ankle pain. An injury to his brain presents an even more frustrating challenge as it causes him to fall frequently, leading to even more pain.
This hero needed a way to have consistent relief from his chronic pain that he could access easily. Hopefully, now that he has his own hot tub, he’ll be able to find some relief and get back to doing more of what he loves: gardening and spending time with his children.
Doug Sylvestre
Doug Sylvestre is another veteran whose application was submitted by his wife. Doug served over six years in the airborne infantry. His time served included a volunteer deployment to Afghanistan, which ended with him achieving the rank of E6 Staff Sergeant.
He also has multiple decorations, including a Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Parachutist Badge, and many more. He slipped three discs in his back during a combat jump, causing persistent back problems.
Doug will hopefully have many days ahead of resting and recovering in his hot tub from New England Spas. And it’s a gift that will benefit the entire family. His brother and father both have disabilities that a hot tub could help with.
Brett Miller
Brett is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army. He served eight years as a combat medic and trainer for special operations. His tours included Bosnia and Macedonia in 1996. These tours were instrumental in revolutionizing much of the training in simulated war scenarios.
Now, Brett works as a physical therapist and adaptive fitness coach. He is the founder of 110 Fitness in Rockland, Massachusetts, an all-inclusive wellness center for people of all abilities. 110 Fitness is considered to be the largest wellness center in the world for people with Parkinson’s disease.
He continues to give his time and energy back to the community through other programs like Hives for Heroes, where he mentors people with PTSD.
Brett also needs to take some time for himself. Hydrotherapy would be beneficial to help him cope with his mental health. He’s managing PTSD and anxiety stemming from his military service. He needed something to help him relax and deal with the stress of suffering in silence. We hope the new hot tub is the first of many steps toward finding your inner peace.
David Fleury
David’s spouse Natalie wrote to us on his behalf. Both she and David are disabled veterans. David served 17 years in the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, completing many jumps as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant. His sacrifice left him with hearing loss, arthritis, traumatic brain injury, and many other painful ailments.
Her goal for applying was to find a way to help her husband find relief from constant, full-body aches and pains. He’s so used to dealing with the pain he accepts it as a part of life. However, that pain never keeps him from giving back to his community. Now both David and Natalie can find solace in their new hot tub and hopefully feel more comfortable enjoying time with their two young children, Levi and Hunter.
Honoring Wishes at New England Spas
We’re thrilled to share the inspiring stories of our heroes. And for anyone else who wants to see their spa wish come true, New England Spas is waiting for you. Contact our team today to learn more about our hot tub and spa options and all the health benefits that come with them. If you or a loved one know somebody who can benefit from our Veterans Foundation program, visit our website to nominate them for a free hot tub donation from New England Spas.
