WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC-Lowe's donates $25K to help bring soldiers home

Fort Mill, SC (WBTV) – In this season of giving, retail giant Lowe's Home Improvement donated $25,000 to help bring 200 soldiers home for the holidays. The company's generosity is making it possible for Pierson Young's husband to be there for their baby girl, Addison's first Christmas.  "We're very excited," said Young.

 "When he left last time, she wasn't holding her head up on her own and now she can almost sit by herself," she said. "And all these new things we get to share with Daddy. Milestones that I was afraid he was going to miss--but is now going to be able to see." Her husband, Staff Sgt. Will Young has only seen four month old Addison 2 or 3 times since she was born.

When Young called her husband  to tell him the news--that he was indeed coming home--he thought for she was joking.  "He kept saying ‘just kidding, just kidding' right?," recalled Young. "And I was like no, it's true."

The Charlotte region raised 35 thousand dollars in three days to give 200 soldiers a bus ticket home. Cliff Laxer, a store manager with Lowe's, said there was never any question they would help.  "You know we're a community player," he said. "And hearing about this, Lowe's took the opportunity to make this happen. Because it's priceless."

Young wants people to know the enormity of their generosity isn't lost on the families of these soldiers. "It very might well be some of our last time seeing them," she said. "And it might not. I hope not. But if it is, to have the opportunity to have them home for Christmas is very touching."

The soldiers are in Wisconsin right now but will be heading to Afghanistan next year.

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