When Air Force veteran Ed Roshitsh decided to use a business networking site to offer up five free airline tickets to military members hoping to get home for Christmas, he had no idea how “linked in” he was.
“Active duty US armed forces member who can’t afford to fly home for holidays? I will personally pay for five random service member’s airfare home,” Roshitsh, the CEO of a North Carolina software company, wrote on LinkedIn. “Share and have the hero DM me. I will pull five names out of a hat on Dec. 3rd.”
For 18 hours all he heard was crickets.
But then the silence gave way to persistent rounds of “You’ve got mail.”
“An email comes in. Another email comes in. Another email comes in,” he told WBTV.
By the time the Holidays for Heroes deadline rolled around, Roshitsh said he received 60 requests for tickets, representing each branch of the military. In a video live-streamed on YouTube, the veteran said his LinkedIn post generated 250,000 views, 3,000 comments and about 1,000 shares.
“I thought it would be a really nice way to do something for Christmas for some folks. Little did I know,” the CEO of Dude Solutions said on the video, his voice breaking.
Among those commenting were others wishing to help so, when the official drawing took place on Dec. 3, Roshitsh was able to draw 26 names, the original five he committed to and an additional 21 offered by…
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.