Family of Killed in Action Navy Seal Helps Other Soldiers - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Family of Killed in Action Navy Seal Helps Other Soldiers

By Natalie Zarowny
nzarowny@cbs4qc.com

Joy and Scott McMeekan were inspired to help other soldiers after Joy's brother, Jon, was killed in action in Afghanistan last August.

"He did more in his 35 years than probably most people that live to be 100 do.  I mean he definitely lived life to the fullest," said Joy.

To cope with the pain, Joy and Scott started raising money for a statue they're having built in Jon's honor.

"When you lose somebody the way we lost Jon, you just don't ever want people to forget," said Joy.

But after they raised all the money they needed for the statue, Joy and Scott still weren't satisfied.

They wanted to keep giving, but not just to Jon.

That's when they came up with their organization, Three Minutes Out.

"You can't trust in the fact that they all have family members that are going to send them packages," said Scott.

Working out of their garage, and with the help of almost 20,000 Facebook followers, they've been sending out care packages filled with snacks, toiletries and other surprises to deployed soldiers ever since.

But often it's the simplest things that make the biggest difference.

"This time they needed, you know, their request was 'nice' toilet paper," said Joy.

Joy and Scott hope their love and remembrance of Jon will inspire others to help out soldiers just like him.

"There's no excuse, no matter how you feel about war, there's no excuse for not helping out a soldier or doing something to get involved to make their lives better," said Scott.