For the past six years, Outback Kettle Korn has been providing Ellicottville with a delicious snack, but does anyone really know about the family behind the business?
On Aug. 15, 2009 the Stanzes’ life went from being focused on the business to being focused on something more important – their son. That day, John Stanz’s son Johnny, 27, was injured in Afghanistan.
While out on a mission to capture various members of Al-Qaeda during the time of the tense elections in Afghanistan last year, Johnny’s Humvee was exploded by and IED, an improvised explosive device.
“Returning out of the village they’d (Al Qaeda) been waiting for them and when his (Johnny’s) vehicle went over the landmine they exploded it,” father John Stanz said. “It threw his Humvee 50 feet with him in it and he hit the ground first and the Humvee landed about two feet from where he hit.”
As a result of the explosion, Johnny suffered severe traumatic brain injury, nerve damage to both arms, several broken bones, including multiple facial fractures, and a dislocated knee. His brain was swollen three times the normal size and was placed into a medical induced coma to try to reduce the swelling.
“He had to be on a ventilator for the first five weeks that he was in the hospital, he had to be fed through a tube and they had to trach him because he couldn’t breath on his own,” Stanz said.
While still at the hospital. Johnny started to show signs of improvement and movement, and was sent off the Moss Rehab in Philadelphia to take part in an intense rehabilitation program. Here, Johnny learned how to walk, talk, eat and do everything else people do on a daily basis.
“It was like raising a baby again,” Stanz said.
But the intense rehabilitation program paid off. Now Johnny only suffers issues when it comes to balance and his short-term memory, but besides that he can totally function.
Johnny was a part of the 2nd Marines Special Operations Battalion, or MSOB.
“They make up about 1 percent of the military these people (special forces); they’re the best of the best … you don’t usually hear about them too much.” Stanz said. “You hear of the Green Beret and others, but not these guys. There are only about 30 guys in this group.”
When Johnny was able to return home in early December, a newly found organization called VetsH.E.R.D was there to help. H.E.R.D. stands for “Helping Empower Returning and Disabled Vets.”
The organization was founded Nov. 11, 2009 standing on Massachusetts Ave, in Buffalo as Extreme Makeover Home Edition was renovating a house.
“When we were all standing around on a beautiful 65 degree day on Nov. 11, when it was Veterans’ Day, and there were a couple vets standing with us and the said ‘ya know, there are a lot of guys who are out of work need our help and no one’s doing anything. If we can do this in one week to build a house we can sure as hell do a lot of rehab and rehabilitation for veterans who actually stood up for us,’” said Philip Arnold, president of VetsH.E.R.D.
Less than a month later, VetsH.E.R.D. held a fundraiser to help offset the medical costs the family was incurring. They also helped to renovate the Stanz house so that Johnny could have a “junior” apartment; that is, have his own separate wing, and entrance to the house, but still be under the same roof of this parents. “Johnny, being a true warrior and marine, basically defied all the odds” through his recovery, Arnold said.
VetsH.E.R.D. is currently in the process of obtaining their not-for-profit status from the U.S. government. Because the group is less than a year old they are still looking for volunteers and donations so that VetsH.E.R.D. can help more veterans. In less than a year, VetsH.E.R.D. has already helped half a dozen veterans get the help they need mentally, physically and emotionally, as well as help them fill out paperwork properly.
“When being discharged people just want to be done and they’ll sign anything, but most of the time they don’t know what they are signing away – what they are giving up … we want them to see us so we can tell them what they qualify for and help them fill things out correctly,” Arnold said.
At this moment, Johnny is still listed as an active member of the military and will be going through testing to see if he is able to be back on duty. Stanz does not know if Johnny will be going back overseas, but anything is possible because of all the odds Johnny has already beaten.
However, this weekend will be fun filled for Johnny as he goes up to Rochester to compete in a wounded warriors weekend and Outback Kettle Korn will be Rockin’ Oldies Weekend with a VetsH.E.R.D fundraising container for all those who wish to start giving back this weekend.
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