Storm Smart donates $10K to help erase medical debt in SWFL

Reporter: Chris Cifatte
Published: Updated:

We want to pay tribute to our veterans through the eyes of a Southwest Florida businessman.

He never served in the military, but has made it his mission to honor those who dedicated their lives to protecting ours. And now, he’s using his success to help others.

You may not know the name Brian Rist, but you’re likely familiar with his company,

Storm smart.

And probably used a product or two of his to help ride out Hurricane Irma or replace what you lost.

But there’s more behind the window to this Southwest Florida businessman.

He’s a man touched by the sacrifice of others.

They give years of their life to go away from their families most of them young families for several years and just to protect our country and give us the freedom that we have anything we can do to say thank you to them we need to do more often.

Rist supports the Southwest Florida honor flight and even boarded a mission with the vets to our nation’s capital, calling it “Probably the most emotional day I’ve ever had in my life.”

And after hearing about WINK News’ campaign to help vets pay off old medical debts, the Storm Smart owner opened his heart and wallet, donating $10,000 to help pay off medical debt in SWFL.

“We’re talking about veterans who have medical bills that they can’t afford to pay,” Rist said, “If we can do something to take some of the burden off of their back and I’ll put their mind at ease, I think it’s the smartest investing we can do.”

HOW TO HELP

WINK paid off the first one million dollars of medical debt in our community, and we want your help to erase more. Just $10 wipes out $1,000 in debt.

While WINK and RIP cannot choose whose medical debt is erased due to HIPPA privacy laws, it will go toward debt right here in Southwest Florida.

Be a WINK Hero for Hope. Together let’s make a dent in medical debt and help those in need.

Click HERE to make a donation.

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