Man's sacrifice helps veterans

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A young man’s sacrifice will help support other veterans who need help after they serve.

Wednesday morning, Dave and Kim Whipple announced a $20,000 donation to their Western New York Heroes Foundation.

The foundation honors the Whipples’ son Blake, a combat engineer killed in Afghanistan in 2010.

Dave Whipple said, “There was no one to take his place.  When he was home on R and R, the other guys picked up the slack, and they were doing more work than they normally would have to do, and he needed to get back and pick up his piece, and he was proud to do that.”

Keller Chevrolet’s Dean Jackson said, “We're keeping people in their homes, stopping them from going homeless, putting food on their table, keeping lights in their homes.”

The organization helps vets and their families, especially families of veterans killed or disabled in action.