You Served & ProFlowers.com Gift Code Winners

Congratulations to the following winners who each have received a $70 ProFlowers.com gift card from ProFlowers and You Served.

Carolyn Barnes sent the following on behalf of a deployed Army Sgt:

S*** K*** is a sergeant in the US Army. At 23 he is a husband and father of three who has spent the last 14 months bravely serving in heart of Iraq, deploying only 10 days after the birth of his daughter. Along with the men of his platoon, he spent countless hours patrolling the streets, suffered numerous IED attacks, stood watch for those who would perpetrate cowardly acts of violence, all while making friends with the children of Iraq, even as his own young ones were at home, missing their daddy. Added to all of this Sgt. *** and five of his men earned Bronze Stars for their capture of the number two man on their most wanted list. During the long months away, he missed many family milestones including two Christmases, birthdays, his anniversary and his daughter’s first year in order to ensure that we can live our lives in freedom and without fear. I know all this about Sgt. ****, and yet I have never met him face to face. You see, for the last year I have been his “angel”, having adopted him through an organization called Soldiers’ Angels. With letters and care packages, it has been my privilege to serve Sgt. **** as he served our country. This week he and his men are finally returning home and I can think of no better person to receive this gift. His wife certainly deserves flowers for the many sacrifices she has made!

Marie Lee sent the following to win flowers for her husband:

My soldier is my hero and i think he deserves something like this.We have know each other for almost 2 years.We got married in August.He left for Iraq a few weeks ago.He is the most amazing guy i have ever known..he treats me like a princess,never says anything mean to me,we have never had a fight.We consider ourselves very fortunate to have something so many people don’t have and that is true love..He would do anything for me..i have no doubt in my mind that he would give his life for me.His family is against the military so it wasn’t all easy for him.He is a true hero!i would just love to make his day and give him something like this…thank you…

Jessica Harrison nominated her father, who is a veteran of Panama, Beruit and other exotic locations:

I would like to nominate my father. He is one of my personal heroes and is very deserving. From the late 70’s until even today, the military has been a major part of his life. While he has taken a few breaks, he has served from Panama and Beirut as a Marine to Kuwait and Iraq as a Soldier. In the next two weeks (6 Feb-20 Feb) he will be coming home from his 2nd tour to Iraq. The first tour he had the opportunity to be deployed to the same theater as me and this deployment he and my brother were deployed to Iraq at the same time. When he talks about his future, he mentions that he is getting a little old to still be “playing Soldier”, but everyone in our family knows that it is as much a part of him as my brother and I are. However, this homecoming is even more important than before, because he will be getting married. To a woman that I do not know very well, but has helped my grandmother when she was sick. I welcome her for that, also that she cares and loves my father. Therefore, I would like this gift to him, so that he can buy a gift for his fiancé to show that I am excited for their future union and the chance to get to know his fiancé very well.

Laura Want send the following story to nominate the widow the of a fallen hero:

I nominate Dena Yllescas to receive flowers. Her precious warrior husband, CPT Rob Yllescas, was wounded in Afghanistan in an IED blast and died a month later on 1 December, 2008. She has moved back to Nebraska to raise her two daughters, 7 and 1. She is a very brave woman who will not receive flowers from her husband this Valentines Day.

Finally, Tom sent in this moving story:

I nominate Sandra who deals day out and day in with a disabled husband. He was injured in the service but thought he had recovered, and he married and he never and she never thought life would throw a juicy curve ball at them of him not being able to work due to injuries and multiple surgeries..her husband is home 24/7/365 and unable to function like most people but D.C. is still looking at their paperwork a dozen years later waiting to approve 100 disabilty. I know she has not gotten her hair done and sacrifices alot, so she can be home with him, they make things work, going month to month, surgery, hospitalizations and more(he has heart-back- shoulder- kidney- all sorts of problems). He does not help, and basically cannot due to back and leg problems, so she does 99percent of it all at home and does it with a smile, saying he is the light of her life as well as the kids. Come holidays she does not expect anything and even goes out to help to make sure the veterans alone at the hospital get something too if her husband is in. It is scary being a spouse of someone serving- but where does your heart go when you married him after he served and they say she is not eligible for alot, and no longer asks for it. Maybe a little color to brighten her day and make her smile, and would be great if her husbands name could be signed as a huge surprise.

Every entry sent in (nearly 20) was worthy. Unfortunately, we only had five gift codes to give away. For those that didn’t win, I have a special offer for ALL of you that you can only get here. An exclusive You Served offer of 20% off on ALL orders PLUS a free glass vase, but you have to use THIS LINK. The discount is good through March 1st, so make sure you get moving on it! Thanks to all who entered and sent in those amazing stories.