Larry King to Visit Families in Fisher Houses

Larry King to Visit Families in Fisher Houses

Army Times

By Karen Jowers

01.08.07

Military families staying at Fisher House comfort homes in four different areas will be featured on CNN's "Larry King Live" at 9 p.m. Eastern time Saturday.

King will tour the Fisher House at the San Diego Naval Medical Center and interview a family, said CNN spokeswoman Bridget Leininger. King also will conduct satellite interviews with families lodging at Fisher Houses at Fort Campbell, Ky.; Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D.C.; and the Palo Alto, Calif., VA Health Care System.

CNN is also donating money to the Fisher House Foundation, through proceeds from the auction of an overhauled CNN Hummer that saw action during the war in Iraq, Leininger said. That Hummer was featured on an episode of The Learning Channel's "Overhaulin'," after being refurbished by the crew of that show. The Hummer has been touring military bases and other locations around the country, and will be auctioned off on Jan. 20 by the Barrett-Jackson Auction Co., at the auction company's headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The vehicle, dubbed "Warrior One," came under heavy fire in Baghdad in April 2003, CNN officials said.

Fisher Houses provide a home-like atmosphere for families who want to be near their service members who are hospitalized. Currently, there are 33 homes in 16 states and two in Germany, with more planned. All construction and furnishing costs are paid by the Fisher House Foundation, which gives the houses to the U.S. government as gifts.

The military services and the Department of Veterans Affairs are responsible for operating and maintaining the houses, but the foundation now reimburses the comfort homes so that families no longer have to pay room fees.