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Burlington News Publishes Story about Amazing Gift During MIX Radiothon
Iraq Veteran Gives Purple Heart to Young Cancer Survivor
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Burlington’s News-Times recently ran a feature about a heart-warming gift an Iraq war veteran gave to a young cancer survivor he heard on MIX 101.5 during the 2012 Radiothon. |
MIX 101.5’s annual Radiothon for Duke’s Children’s Hospital spawned many heart-warming and inspiring stories. One such story recently caught the attention Burlington’s Times-News and led to an article about a veteran who was so touched by one of the young cancer survivors that he gave her one of his Purple Hearts.
Staff writer Natalie Allison penned the story “Cancer survivor receives an unexpected gift on her birthday” about cancer-survivor and former Duke patient Leigha Martinelli. A senior at Burlington’s Williams High School, Martinelli came back to help MIX with the Radiothon by sharing her experiences at Duke.
MIX played a montage of Martinelli’s story over Martina McBride’s song “In My Daughter’s Eyes” before Martinelli came to interview live during Radiothon. Iraq war veteran Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Rausch was listening and was so touched by her story that he did something incredible.
Rausch had received three Purple Hearts as he was wounded three times. He drove to MIX 101.5 and asked them to give one of those Purple Hearts to Martinelli. MIX Morning Show Co-Host Bill Jordan surprised her with the presentation on-air and the result was truly touching
Read the full story of Martinelli’s brave battle and Rausch’s amazing gift:
MIX 101.5’s 2012 Radiothon raised over $1.2 million for Duke Children’s Hospital. The annual February event is close to the heart of MIX staffers and a big way they give back to the community each year.
