Army Vet, Fiancé Turn Wedding Into Fundraiser For Wounded Warriors
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Beaver County Army veteran and his fiancé share a love of motorcycles, and a deep respect for America's wounded warriors.
The couple will get hitched Halloween night at the Xlerator Bar and Grill in Beaver Falls.
Jesse Mercure popped the question to Donna Matters a couple weeks ago. Though it's billed as a Hallo-wedding, Donna says it's also a fundraiser for a foundation that benefits wounded veterans in the tri-state area.
"Twenty-five dollars to get in the door," she said. "And it all goes to 'It's About the Warrior.' And we told everybody we do not want presents."
The foundation benefits wounded warriors in the tri-state area.
"Since I retired from the Army, I try to do what I can to raise awareness, support vets, working with charities," Jesse says. "So, to me, this is just a way to have a big life event, but have it benefit somebody that needs it."
The 24-year veteran's motorcycle also pays homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
On the tour pack in back, he's inscribed the name of every Pennsylvania veteran killed in Afghanistan, and on the front fender, the name of every veteran killed in Iraq.
There's not much room for any more names, but he's hoping they won't need any.
Wedding guests get a tee-shirt reminding us that it's all about the warrior.
"Everybody's invited," Donna says. "But with the RSVP's we've got so far, I think we're going to be pretty full."
For more information on the foundation, visit www.iatw.us.
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