The heartsick mom of a maimed Iraq war veteran is being forced to auction off a handwritten letter of sympathy from President Barack Obama to pay for her son's medical bills — even though the commander-in-chief pledged in the note to do "everything" he could to help out.
The Washington Examiner reports that Cherry McKimmey's son David suffered horrific burns to hands, arms and legs when an improvised explosive device detonated under his vehicle near Balad and he crawled through flames in a bid to rescue two fellow soldiers.
The fearless Army vet — a single father of three who remains in danger of losing part of a leg from his injuries — was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor.
But when the Veteran's Administration classified McKimmey's injuries as minor, he was denied special care, forcing him to endure long drives to see specialists. That triggered McKimmey and his mom to begin campaigning for more care, and in 2009, the president finally responded with a handwritten note, reading:
"Cherry – Thank you for your note. We are grateful for your son's service, and Michelle and I intend to do everything we can over the next four years to support your family and other military families. God Bless, Barack Obama."
But with little happening since, and her son living solely on his disability benefits, McKimmey has turned to Alexander Historical Auctions of Maryland to auction off her Obama letter. It's expected to sell for $3,000-$4,000, The Examiner said.
"We just assumed everything would be taken care of. We should have known better," Cherry McKimmey told the newspaper.
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