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Lt. Dan Band Hopes To Help Get Smart House For Local Vet

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The "Lt. Dan Band" is coming to Pittsburgh.

Named for a character actor Gary Sinise played in the film Forrest Gump, the band teams up with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to build accessible "smart homes" for severely wounded American servicemen and women.

Denise Abraham of Peters Township hands out flyers at a booth by Heinz Field. Her son-in-law, Doug Vitale, a Marine serving in Afghanistan, suffered traumatic head injury and lost both legs in an IED explosion September, 2011.

Abraham's daughter Alexis is at his side, as he rehabs at a VA hospital in Tampa.

"As long as Alexis is OK, we're OK," her mother says. "And watching her, she's become all of our role models. You watch her and you can't help but do whatever it takes to make sure they get whatever they need."

Her other daughter, 16-year-old Samantha Abraham says her older sister is her role model. And so is Doug.

"I've loved him since the day I met him," Samantha says.

It's About the Warrior Foundation presents a ten thousand dollar check to Tunnel to Towers, for the couple's future home. But the biggest boost comes with the concert at Stage AE August 9.

"The best part of it is that Doug and Alexis will be there," Denise Abraham says. "It will be the first time that Doug will be returning to Pittsburgh since Christmas of 2010."

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