The Gage Crusade - Semper Fi, Lollipop

PFC William Gage Glass always wanted to be a Marine. He fulfilled this lifelong desire when he graduated from boot camp at Parris Island on 21 November 2013. He then went on to MCT at Camp Geiger in December 2012 and MOS School at 29 Palms from January - 26 March 2013. He immediately returned to Pennsylvania to visit his father and his two younger brothers, and was also preparing to move back to Pennsylvania to work and go to school while in the Marine Corps Reserves.

An engaging, outgoing, charismatic, and free spirited individual, PFC Glass never hesitated to do something wacky or out of the ordinary to get a laugh out of people. He earned the nickname "Lollipop" during boot camp for his spontaneous song and dance of the song of the same name that he broke out into after doing well on his firing squad drills. In the very early hours of Easter Sunday, 31 March 2013, PFC Glass was in a solo motor vehicle accident. His car left the road way, flipped several times, and hit two trees. He sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, brain stem contusion, a skull fracture, and a fractured clavicle. The doctors did not give much hope for a recovery for him. Despite the prognosis, his family and his friends have remained steadfast in their dedication to his recovery, staying by his side almost every day since the accident, driving from great distances and through several states to spend time with him and to help with his rehabilitation. On Saturday, 10 August 2013 at RFK Stadium, the Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge will be held, an event that were PFC Glass capable of running, he would do so with his own unmistakeable flair. In his honor, his mother, stepfather, and friends from all over the United States are joining together to run the race on his behalf. Through them, PFC Glass's spirit will continue to live. Through PFC Glass, they and all who encounter him will be pushed to try harder, live better, and persevere through all challenges no matter how great or small. The ultimate goal is to get PFC Glass rehabilitated and back home but the road is very, very long and extremely difficult to navigate. The purchase of a "The Gage Crusade" t-shirt allows you to become part of his recovery team and allows you to invest in helping the life of someone who willingly and selflessly made the decision to serve his country and who will now most likely never be able to fulfill his lifelong dream. All proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts for "The Gage Crusade" will go into a fund that will go towards travel and medical expenses for PFC Glass.

Thank you for your time and Ooh Rah!