Texas ‘Survivor’ Donating His Million Dollar Win to Veterans
How many times have you said you'd share if only you would win?
I pledge that every time I buy a scratch-off.
Well, the sole survivor of Survivor, Season 43 is a champion in more ways than one. Not only did he win, but he also pledged to give his entire win to veterans.
Kingswood Texan, Mike Gabler, who is also a heart valve specialist in his professional life, in Houston vowed on the popular show Survivor, he would donate his winnings to veterans. He has won the million-dollar prize and as the second oldest "survivor in the show's history, Gabler has also committed on air to honor his late military father, who was a green beret by donating his million-dollar win, ALL of his million-dollar win to veterans, with Veterans in Need Foundation.
"There are people who need that money more," said Gabler during the Survivor after the show. "And I'm going to donate the entire prize — the entire million dollar prize, in my father's name, Robert Gabler, a Green Beret — to veterans in need who are recovering from psychiatric problems, PTSD, and curb the suicide epidemic." WHAL11 offers in their article.
You can see the shock and respect on the faces of Gabler's fellow competitors, but you can also hear the sincerity when Gabler reveals his intention. His voice cracks when he speaks in particular of some of the adversity veterans face on a daily basis including PTSD.
According to the National Center for PTSD, about 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or between 11-20%) who served in OIF, Operation Iraqi Freedom or OEF, or Operation Endearing Freedom experience PTSD in a given year.
How incredible to learn Gabler will help others survive as a Survivor.