Veteran recalls the moments Red Cross assisted her while stationed in Hawaii

The American Red Cross is known for assisting during times of disasters and keeping blood supply on the shelves. This November, the organization is shedding light on its lesser-known role in assisting the armed forces and veterans during their time of need. 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – The American Red Cross is known for assisting during times of disasters and keeping blood supply on the shelves. This November, the organization is shedding light on its lesser-known role in assisting the armed forces and veterans during their time of need. 

The Red Cross assistance and support to military families are invaluable, yet often go unnoticed says Services to the Armed Forces and International Regional Director Denise Teasdell.  As a veteran, veteran’s wife, and daughter of a veteran she knows how valuable assistance is to those who have served.

“We offer workshops for our service members once they deploy and come back. We have workshops that are facilitated by licensed facilitators to walk them through that and not just the service members but the spouse and the children as well,“ said Teasdell.  

The Red Cross also offers assistance to service members by contacting them in case of family emergencies at home. Teasdell experienced benefited from the assistance while in active duty.

“I remember getting the emergency contact thinking ‘why is Red Cross calling me? I don’t want to give any blood’ because that’s all I pretty much knew about it,” said Teasdell. 

While stationed in Hawaii she received a call from Red Cross after her little sister was killed in a car accident. The organization helped her set up a flight home and took her to the airport. 

“I was actually going through my journal .  . I think it was June or July. I write down everything and I was looking through writings in 1997 and 1998 and I found when my sister passed away. Just reading how Red Cross had gotten me home. At the end of the post I put I don’t know how I’m going to repay Red Cross, or pay it forward some way, or help out Red Cross.” 

Now as a Red Cross employee she is repaying the kindness shown to her family.