In 2007, Meadville native Codie McGraw enlisted in the army.
Immediately after basic training, he found himself in Iraq on daily missions inside an M1 Abrams army tank.
“I was living in a fortified parking garage, no running water and no air conditioning. It was hot it was miserable. I’m just glad I made it back, not a lot of people did,” said Codie McGraw, U.S. Army veteran.
Once home, he started a family. He now has two children. But the war haunted him and he found himself struggling, eventually homeless.
However, he was determined not to stay there.
“I found myself in a pretty tough situation, it put me in a dark place, but like I said I had two kids so I didn’t have time slack. I had to figure something out and make sure I had somewhere for them to be, to make sure they were safe. I busted my butt and did what I had to do to make that not my situation,” said McGraw.
Help for McGraw and his family comes thanks to a unique new partnership between LECOM Radio WMCE, Embracing Our Veterans and JET 24/FOX 66.