Shortly after moving to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about a decade ago, my wife Kristen and I came across a Facebook post about Travis Manion. The post mentioned that Travis had been a wrestler at the U.S. Naval Academy. I had wrestled at Virginia Tech, and Travis and I were about the same age.
I realized that I had likely been in the same room with him. Every year, my team competed in a tournament at Annapolis, which meant Travis and I had wrestled on the same mats. Our lives went in very different directions after that shared experience, but years later, I found myself living near the community where he had grown up.
That coincidence led us to Travis Manion Foundation, where we learned more about Travis, his legacy, and the organization created in his name. His “If Not Me, Then Who…” ethos immediately resonated with both of us.
We were especially inspired by the way TMF acts as a force multiplier. The organization not only supports veterans and families of the fallen, but also empowers veterans to become instruments of good within their communities, particularly for young people. That kind of service can create a powerful, compounding effect over time.
In 2018, while I was attending business school at the University of Pennsylvania, we decided to turn a traditional end-of-semester get-together into a pool party fundraiser for TMF. Many of my classmates were active-duty military personnel or veterans, and several shared stories about how TMF had supported their friends and their friends’ families.
One classmate shared a testimonial from the wife of a fallen teammate, who said that TMF had changed the course of her life. After losing her husband, becoming involved with the Foundation gave her a renewed sense of purpose. Hearing stories like hers made the mission feel even more personal and reinforced our desire to help.
The following year, the event became known as the Mattalina Wine Mixer, inspired by my love of the movie “Step Brothers.” It was another tremendous success, bringing together former classmates and many of our local friends. That year, we raised $12,000 for TMF.
After taking a few years off because of the pandemic, we held our third Mattalina Wine Mixer in August 2023. It was our most successful event yet. Several of my former classmates returned, even more of our local friends joined us, and together we raised more than $22,000 for TMF.
Through our support of Travis Manion Foundation, we have found not only fulfillment, but also a profound sense of purpose. For us, it is not simply about raising funds. It is about raising hope, lifting the spirits of others, and helping carry forward a legacy of service and character.