Meet the Kleppe Family
When Navy pilot, Ed Kleppe, was killed in a helicopter accident, his wife, Lori, wasn’t sure what she was going to do, She had a 1-year-old son, Drew, and another little boy, Evan, on the way. Their future weighed heavily on her mind. She and her husband had big dreams for both of their children and though he was gone, she wanted to make sure their goals stayed intact.
She started saving for their college education while they were both still toddlers. Nearly two decades later, it was time for Drew to begin his freshman year at the University of Vermont, where he would study Business. Lori had good amount of money saved but wasn’t sure how far it would go.
Two years later, Evan began his first semester at Lehigh University, where he majored in Finance. The family had to take on student loans to help cover the costs. During Evan’s junior year, Lori received a call that changed everything. A friend had told an organization about her family and they wanted to help.
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation offered to pay for the rest of Evan’s education and they wanted to reimburse her for any payments she had already made for both Evan and Drew’s tuition.
“Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation changed my family’s life. My children were able to graduate from college and pursue their dreams without having to worry about the burden of paying back student loans. It made such a huge difference for their futures and helped them in a way that I couldn’t,” Lori said.
It also made an impact on Evan, “It was fantastic, they called us and they did almost all the leg work. They did everything and it could not have been any easier.”
Despite the fact that they’ve graduated and moved on to careers in Marketing and Real Estate, the family continues to stay involved in the organization. Whether it’s participating in fundraising events or speaking opportunities, the brothers always try to make themselves available to help.
Drew Kleppe describes his personal experience with Fallen Patriots: