Original ‘Band of Brothers’ to Attend TGM Fund Raising Event Hosted by Red Sox Legend Curt Schilling - February 2010
Proceeds raised on March 6th will benefit a new documentary film by Tim Gray Media chronicling the stories of World War II veterans.
Boston, MA March 2nd, 2010- Boston Red Sox legend and three-time World Series winner Curt Schilling is set to personally host four of the original Band of Brothers, made famous in the Stephen Ambrose book and HBO series by the same name.
The event at the Schilling home will benefit a new documentary film by Tim Gray Media; a Rhode Island based film company that produces documentaries on veterans of World War II. The film is based on Marcus Brotherton’s best-selling book, We Who are Alive and Remain.
The new documentary will focus on the veterans of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 101st Airborne, who were not prominently featured in the original Ambrose book and Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg HBO series, yet still fought in some of the largest and bloodiest battles of the war along side their more famous ‘brothers’.
“With 1,000 World War II veterans passing on each day, 30,000 a month, we are running out of time to document all the stories of these great men and women who fought for our freedom, “ said Schilling. “This film in particular is important because it focuses on the men of Easy Company, who fought along side the more memorable names from the book and television series, yet were left largely ignored when it came time for recognition. We hope the film will represent all those who fought in WWII, yet didn’t find their names featured in books or saw their heroics captured on film. Many of these heroes are just too humble to talk about what they did, but it’s important that their stories be documented now for future generations to know,” Schilling said.
The four original members of the Band of Brothers who will be attending the fund-raising event, hosted by both Curt and Shonda Schilling on March 6th, include: Buck Compton, Don Malarkey, ‘Wild Bill’ Guarnere and Edward ‘Babe’ Heffron (bios included). All were featured prominently in Band of Brothers. Additional veterans of D-Day and WWII will also be guests of the Schillings.
This fundraising evening is taking place with the help of Honor Flight New England, a non-profit organization that is donating the jet that will transport Band of Brothers veterans Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron from Philadelphia to Boston. Honor Flight New England is a 501 (c)(3)organization created solely to honor America’s veterans. Through generous donations HFNE transports veterans and WWII heroes to Washington, DC several times a year to visit the Washington war memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans – World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. (www.honorflightnewengland.org)
“It is a thrill for me to be able to host this gathering and too see the companies such as Honor Flight New England pitch in to help make this film a reality,” said Schilling.
All donations to the new film project are tax-deductible and can be sent to: The Rhode Island PBS Foundation, c/o Kathryn Larsen, Programming Director, RIPBS, 50 Park Ave. Cranston, RI 02907. In the memo line of the check, please write: We Who are Alive and Remain project.
On March 14th, HBO is set to debut a follow-up to Band of Brothers. The Pacific will focus on America’s fight against the Empire of Japan in the South Pacific.
Media Contact: Katie Leighton
Leighton Communications, Inc.
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Katie.Leighton@usa.com
