Mix 96 Awards Buffalo-Area Military Family with a $500 ‘Thank You’

My grandpa served in the Army in WWII, and my cousin-in-law did two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, so it was my honor to contact one WNY family and give them the good news...that they were about to be gifted with a $500 "thank you".

We invited those with actively deployed military members in the family to nominate themselves for this gift.

Maryanne McMahon's husband Sean is Air Force, and their son, Jacob, is a Marine.  Here are the two handsome men, 20 years apart!

Here's what Maryanne McMahon submitted:

My son is a deployed Marine. He will be home just in time for Christmas. He’s missed most of the last 2 Buffalo Bills football seasons and I would love to have the money so he and my husband, also in the military, can go to a Bills game together. My son is just 19, left weeks after he graduated high school in June 2014. Besides being an amazing son, he’s an amazing American. He’s always known he wanted to serve. We took him to Disney when he was 7. The only pin he wanted there was the service member with Mickey. When he was 5 my husband deployed shortly after 9-11. At a young age he saw the danger our country faced and had to support me and his dad at that young age in fighting against that danger. His entire heart is in protecting this country and I would love to have the money to make his week home a fun one, especially sending him to a Bills game. If we won it would act ually be helping two military members, my son and husband. They are best friends and my husband has really missed watching Bills games with him. I know just having my son home the week of Christmas is a gift in itself. Even if we don’t win this contest our family will enjoy each other and hold on tight. Thank you for having this contest and making military families lives easier and happier this holiday season! I will leave you with my saying – Pay it forward, the life you change might be your own.

It's our pleasure to award this awesome family with a $500 'Thank You', from Townsquare Cares, Mix 96, and all of WNY!