Media release from the American Red Cross Georgia Region:
ATLANTA — During emergencies, active-duty service members and their families have relied on the American Red Cross Hero Care Network to be a trusted source of information and support for almost 140 years.
Late one night last May, John Zeck, a man in his 70s but otherwise healthy, couldn’t fall asleep. His heart was racing. After checking in at a local hospital in his rural Northern California community, doctors discovered he had suffered a heart attack. John was immediately airlifted to a medical facility 180 miles away.
Halfway around the world in Germany, Kyle Zeck, an active-duty Army officer thought he might lose his dad.
“I was afraid that my father was going to die, and I wasn’t going to see him,” Kyle said.
Unlike civilians, service members cannot simply return home during a family crisis. Emergency leave must be approved by their military command and that requires independent verification, something only the Red Cross is congressionally chartered to do.
Kyle called the Hero Care Center, unsure where to start. A Hero Care specialist answered right away. They walked him through the process, gathering key information, including details Kyle himself didn’t know.
“There were certain things about my unit of assignment that I didn’t know, that the Red Cross figured out for me,” Kyle said. “There were all these things happening in the background the Red Cross took care.”
Less than 72 hours after Kyle had initiated the case, the emergency had been verified, the Red Cross had notified Kyle’s command and Kyle was stepping off a plane in Northern California. He was able to be by his father’s side in the intensive care unit and remain for his recovery.
“I have no regrets about taking time away,” said Kyle, urging other military families to educate themselves on their options.
“There’s a lot of people who just don’t understand the full [Red Cross] mission. I’d encourage people to understand that they have the Red Cross as a service to assist them at times of crisis.”
In fiscal year 2025, the Red Cross supported military families across Georgia, helping connect service members to their loved ones. The Red Cross of Georgia helped handle more than 8,100 Hero Care cases, providing emergency communications, family follow-up and additional whole health and wellness programming in the military community.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on social media.
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