Support The Bob Donohue U.S. Veterans Equine Therapy Program

Wildfire’s Wild and Free Mustangs has been working with United States Veterans, utilizing equines (Mustangs) as therapy animals for some time prior to the formal non-profit organization that was recently formed as a legal non-profit corporation. Founder of Wildfire’s Wild and Free Mustangs and President Kim Donohue has been working with Veterans in some way, shape or form her entire life.

Kim’s grandfather “Poppi” was a World War II combat veteran and ex prisoner of war. He was captured by the Japanese and held in a prison camp for several years before he and 80,000 emaciated and wounded fellow prisoners of war were made to march 65 miles by their captors through the Philippines in what is known today as ‘The Bataan Death March’. The prisoners unable to make it through the march were beaten and killed by their captors.

Whenever we see Mustangs being rounded up by the BLM in inhumane and violent ways, their freedom ripped away in the blink of an eye, stolen from their families to head into a battle previously unknown to them, or see them being forced through chutes at kill auctions to a likely certain death, we think of The Bataan Death March and ALL of our US Veterans.

After The Bataan Death March and his release from his captors, “Poppi” then went on to marry “Nanna” an Army Nurse who eventually retired as a US Army Colonel and have their only child, Barbara, Kim’s mother.

Poppi, Arthur A. Bressi, is the man responsible for getting the laws changed to recognize post traumatic stress or PTSD as it is more widely known, as an actual veterans disability and condition that the Veterans Administration needed to be responsible for and provide care for. Prior to his efforts these Veterans were swept under the rug. Poppi remained a Veterans case worker for the Department of Veterans Affairs fighting for veterans care and rights until the day he died. His daughter Barbara, Kim’s mother, then continued his legacy working with the Department of Veterans Affairs fighting for Veterans after his passing.

Kim’s father Bob, Robert E. Donohue Jr., was a multiple tour Vietnam combat veteran and Kim’s best friend. She is an only child, only grandchild and was a Daddies girl and Poppi’s “brat”. Kim’s father suffered from PTSD due to his time in combat and was a staunch advocate and very involved with his fellow Veterans.

Bob passed away suddenly and unexpectedly 48 hours ago on August 5th from a blood clot to his brain. Kim and Kim’s mother Barb who is Bob's wife of 54 years are beyond devastated. But so happy that Bob was able to see Wildfire’s Wild and Free Mustangs come to fruition just weeks before his untimely passing, being that he was a horse lover that grew up riding on his grandfather’s ranch in Colorado.

Wildfire’s Wild and Free Mustangs is now going to be kicking into high gear our efforts to formally launch our Veterans program with the “Bob Donohue United States Veterans Equine Therapy Program”.

Any donations made toward this program will go to funding the much needed infrastructure of the program itself and getting the message out to more military Veterans and organizations, monies will also go toward the rescue of future Mustangs that will be utilized in this program including the famous Hannigan, toward the horses daily care, training, Veterinary costs, property maintenance and payments ... all the things that keep the ball rolling forward.

Kim and Barb have also asked friends and family that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to this foundation.

Bob’s legacy will live on in this program.

Thank you for reading, any questions or inquiries can be directed to Wildfire’s Wild and Free Mustangs or Kim Donohue