The Big Voice

CEO’s Leadership Letter

November 2019

Dear Friends,

On behalf of Sons of the Flag (SOTF), I’d like to wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. Welcome to the inaugural edition of our Big Voice newsletter. “Big Voice” is a military term used to describe the loudspeaker on a military base that broadcasts urgent messages. Our Big Voice will bring critical news to the community about how SOTF is revolutionizing burn care nationwide. More importantly, Big Voice is a vehicle for you to hear incredible stories from burn survivors and care providers who embody courage, resilience and grit. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and it’s my honor to share these voices with you each month.

Thank you for your continued generosity towards our mission and vision of revolutionizing burn care for all Americans. As we enter the season of giving and celebrating family, I reflect on the idea of gratitude. Is it a choice or an attitude? How can we hold onto thankfulness even when we endure hardship? This season is tough for a lot of people. It was for me when I was away serving overseas. You are displaced from loved ones, or potentially enduring an unimaginable trauma, like a burn. Financial demands are exacerbated during the holidays. The thought of celebrating can seem inconceivable when you’re struggling to get by, and trying to make it one day at a time.

This month you will meet Ronald; an extrao dinary little boy with a mighty heart who has taught me so much about having an attitude of gratitude in the face of adversity. Ronald’s story is horrific and heart melting. It’s a love story about what can happen when a family and an organization like ours come together to serve one another.

As many of you know, I started this organization to help one person. After seven years of supporting burn survivors, partnering with
hospitals, and mobilizing task forces around the country, I’ve realized the national and global attention burn care needs. We will never be able to eradicate burns, but with your help we can be more proactive in accelerating the medical technologies needed to transform lives.

A burn injury lasts a lifetime but the trauma doesn’t have to. Join forces with us this holiday season. Your contributions to our critical programming will transform lives.

With a grateful heart,

Ryan “Birdman” Parrott
Founder & CEO