In October 2003, Brian and Alma Hart got the news they’d been dreading. Their son, John, was serving in Iraq. His Humvee hit a roadside bomb. They were caught in a firefight and John was killed.

The hart’s grieved for their beloved son. During this time, they learned that John’s Humvee had not been armored sufficiently. Their son’s life might have been saved with the proper armor.

The Hart’s began a crusade. They’ve taken it upon themselves to get in the public eye to keep military issues front and center. The Hart’s have worked with politicians like Edward Kennedy to get legislative action on these issues. This had lead to more armor on vehicles which already is saving lives. In addition to those efforts, Brian Hart has developed a robotic device that can be used to push IEDs out of the road way so no one is harmed.

The Hart’s also take time to console others suffering the same sorrow. They lend support to individuals and families who are grieving. According to Brian, “Sometimes it helps to be with folks who have walked down the same road.”

By all standards, the Hart’s should be struggling with life in devastation. They’ve used their grief and turned into a powerful tool for change. Their work may help save someone’s life someday.