First Lady Jill Biden honors kids of injured troops as ‘hidden heroes’

First Lady Jill Biden honored children and caregivers of troops as “hidden heroes” during a Veteran’s Day event at the White House. 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough joined the first lady in the East Room with veterans and their families.

The first lady spoke about her visits to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center when President Biden was in the Obama administration. “I would sit near the beds of the wounded warriors, usually with a spouse close by, and listen to their stories of courage and sacrifice,” she said. “Over time, I built relationships with those families. And my heart went out to the spouses who cared for them — so often young moms, bouncing babies on their hips.”

Hidden Helpers is a project of the Biden administration in partnership with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project. The project will provide aid to over 2 million children of wounded, ill, or injured service members or veterans.

In correlation with the Veteran’s Day event, the Wounded Warrior Project will contribute $1.5 million, which “will directly align with the research findings and sustain a new culture of support for military children and youth nationwide.”