Patti Patton-Bader is our Hot MAMA for December. This self-proclaimed “ordinary” mom did something extraordinary when she sent her sons off to war. Patti says she was inspired by ”the heroism of the men and women brave enough to put on a uniform.” She wanted to do something to support them, so she created Soldiers’ Angels. Every day angels can “adopt” deployed soldiers and send them packages and love from home. Patti says that, “little ripples of kindness turn into oceans of greatness. We just want everyone to do just one thing. Like stone soup, if everyone contributes just one thing, and stands wingtip to wingtip, we can win this war.”
The angels and adopted soldiers become each others heroes and often form lasting bonds. One such relationship got a rocky start, says Bader. The angel sent package after package to her soldier in Iraq, but never got a response, until one day, she received a call. The voice on the other end of the phone said, “Ma’am you don’t know me, but I’m the one whose butt you saved in Baghdad.” Bader explains, “the military gives the soldiers what they need to survive, but we give them hope, belief, and faith…the things that come from mom.”
Patti is a “hot MAMA” for being a true angel – she’s a wonderful mother to her own children and to all of our kids serving in the armed forces. Her organization’s mission says it all:
May no soldier go unloved.
May no soldier walk alone.
May no soldier be forgotten,
Until they all come home
We honor Patti for all that she has done, and continues to do, for our nation’s heroes. And, we thank her for allowing us all to serve “wing tip to wing tip” and become an angel ourselves! America’s moms are so proud to honor her message and support her mission until all our kids are back home.
In her own words, here is Patti’s message to MAMAS:
From Patti Patton-Bader, Founder of Soldiers’ Angels:
It is with great pride I present to you Soldiers’ Angels, and our mission that began when my oldest son Brandon went to war, a mission that has developed into over twenty teams and projects helping literally hundreds of thousands of heroes in a myriad of ways.
It all started when I called my father after I heard Brandon was deploying to Iraq. I expressed my fears to him, since he is a retired lieutenant colonel who served two tours in Viet Nam and so had some experience in war. To my horror, he replied, “Do not worry honey. He is short, he can run under the bullets.” Dad!!! Well, he was trying to get my head right, and so he proceeded to tell me–in great detail–how to make care packages. My husband ran out, bought up the store, and came home with enough for 40 packages. When Brandon hit Kuwait, we stared sending, one a day. Hopes and prayers flowed from our home along with every package.
After four weeks of not hearing from my beloved son, I started calling everybody I knew for information. I called the Ft. Sill chaplain, the Red Cross, the general’s office… finally they got me to the FRG (Family Readiness Group) and my son’s first sergeant’s wife, Rosanna, who said she would talk to her husband that night about my son. She called the next day and reported that her husband called Brandon “the luckiest man in Iraq,” and that my son would call that night. When Brandon called he told me that many heroes were not getting packages or mail like he was–which was why his first sergeant said he was so lucky–and Soldiers’ Angels was born. I realized we needed to alert America: “Our heroes need us and here is how to help!” I never thought that our country would spring to action in such a strong, determined way! People from all walks of life stood up to become Soldiers’ Angels and reach out to support our heroes in whatever way they needed us.
Five years have passed since the mission began, and the number of Angels and heroes connected by love, support and gratitude has grown into the hundreds of thousands. I am so proud of my sons, my country and the heroes that defend us. I look forward to the next five years of Soldiers’ Angels, knowing it’ mission is strong, its volunteers passionate, and its trustees committed to ensuring the focus remains on our mission.
Learn more about Soldiers Angels
Adopt a soldier, O-MAMA did!
Send a letter to a soldier
Nominate The Next “Hot” MAMA! O-MAMA.com will be selecting a “Hot MAMA” honoree on a monthly basis. Nominations are currently being accepted via email to contact@o-mama.com and O-MAMA’s main mamas (Deb & Michelle) will select honorees. Whether you are a working mom, a stay-at-home-mom, a single mom or a grandma, O-MAMA wants to hear what all the incredible moms out there are doing to make a difference every day in the lives of their families, neighbors, communities and country. To nominate a Hot MAMA you know (and YES, you can nominate yourself – we know you’re smokin’ hot, too), email their name, address, contact information and details about why this MAMA is HOT! Submissions can also include a picture, video and/or resume.
FAB!!! What a terrific mama. (-: