Jeanne Bauer Rauscher Pietro writes…
Dear Mike,
Jason Zaideman is my oldest son. I have always been so proud of him! What you and your crew have done for OCB is over and above generous and makes me overwhelmed with pride and love, not only for my son, but for the wonderful things you are doing too! I ask God to put His angels all around you and your crew throughout all of your endeavors to help organizations like Operation Combat Bikesaver reach even more people in need! You are the best!!
Hi Jeanne –
Friends of this page will tell you I’m a sucker for letters from mothers. And since you’re the mother of the man who inspired the very first episode of Returning The Favor, I thought I’d use your kind note to encourage more people to watch your son in action.
Obviously, I don’t have to tell you that Jason is doing something important with Operation Combat Bikesaver. The suicide rates among veterans – now averaging 20 per day – are often the result of post-traumatic stress. In my view, this is not only tragic, it’s scandalous, because PTS doesn’t have to be a death sentence; it can be confronted and dealt with in all sorts of ways. That’s why the work your son is doing in his new garage is absolutely ingenious – not because it’s working in Cedar Creek – but because it can work anywhere. That’s the brilliance of Hot Rod Therapy; you don’t need a prescription or a doctor. You just need a willingness to get your hands dirty and the desire to put something broken back together again.
Yesterday, Jason and Andrew sent me a message thanking us for highlighting OCB. They tell me people are already reaching out to see how they can replicate OCB in their towns. They’re excited, and so am I. Because what we have here is a very simple equation – the more people who see what your son is doing, the more likely it is that others will follow his example. And without overstating things, following Jason’s example will save lives.
So – if you’re not Jason’s mother, and if you’re not among the 7 million people who have already watched this show, please give it a look. If you see the value of what Jason is doing – share it. Then, when Operation Combat Bikesaver starts popping up in towns and garages across the country, we’ll all get together somewhere in the middle, and have ourselves a proper celebration.
Mike