- After surviving an accident one man decided to create an organization where kids with disabilities could inspire veterans.
- Beards for Benefit is an organization that pairs vets with children to fellowship during turkey hunting season.
- Watch the story to hear how people in the community can support this unique organization.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Tragedy often has a way of reshaping lives, and for Klay Armstrong, it became the catalyst for a mission that now changes the lives of others.
In 2006, Armstrong, an industrial mechanic, survived a devastating boiler explosion that left him with burns covering over 70% of his body. He spent six months in a coma, endured 90 surgeries, and underwent 19 years of rehabilitation. Despite the physical toll, it was the mental struggle that challenged him the most.
“The mental thing was bothering me the worst,” Armstrong shared.
Determined to regain a sense of purpose, he started participating in hunting excursions. This experience planted the seed for what would become Beards for Benefit, an organization he founded in 2016. The nonprofit pairs disabled children with veterans for turkey hunting trips, fostering connections that help both groups find new perspectives on life.
“Why can't we take these kids that are always super happy and put them with vets that are not happy, that were ill like I was?” Armstrong questioned. “And make them be together and realize, hey, we don't have it as bad as we think we have it.”
According to the National Veteran Suicide Prevention report, 6,407 veterans lost their lives to suicide in 2022. Armstrong hopes Beards for Benefit will help struggling veterans rediscover gratitude and purpose through their interactions with disabled children. The organization runs entirely on donations, funding wheelchairs, home modifications such as ramps, and other support services for disabled individuals.
Board member Kaitlyn Counts has witnessed firsthand the impact of the program. “One participant has been with us from the very beginning, eight years ago. He has a testimony every time.”
Armstrong recalls a pivotal moment when a child helped him change his perspective on life. “He told me, ‘You need to stop living as who you were and live as who you are now. This is the only life I know—what's wrong with it?’”
As the organization continues to grow, it remains committed to its mission of healing through connection. The annual fundraising banquet is set for March 15, with the next turkey hunt scheduled from March 28 to March 30 in Donalsonville.
For Armstrong, what began as a personal tragedy has become a beacon of hope, proving that even the darkest moments can lead to a brighter purpose.
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