Honoring our Heroes.
Travis was a local guy, one of us. Raised in Doylestown, Travis attended LaSalle College High School and went on to wrestle at the United States Naval Academy. Upon graduation, Travis became a United States Marine.
During his second tour of duty in 2007, Travis made the ultimate sacrifice in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. He, his fellow Marines, and Iraqi Army counterparts were ambushed while searching a suspected insurgent house. 1st Lt. Manion led the counterattack against the enemy forces. He was fatally wounded by an enemy sniper while aiding and drawing fire away from his wounded comrades. His selfless actions allowed every member of his patrol to survive. For his actions, he was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor.
To honor his sacrifice, his family created the Travis Manion Foundation to empower veterans and families of the fallen to develop character in future generations through a number of impactful programs. Three examples can be found below:
Empowerment Programs
Through expeditions to domestic and international locations, TMF provides veterans and family members of fallen heroes the opportunity to connect, build relationships and work together on service-based trips with the mindset of “healing together by helping others.”
Community Engagement
Operation Legacy brings veterans, families of fallen heroes and TMF supporters together through local service projects. During Operation Legacy, TMF unites communities through a common cause, with volunteers living the “If Not Me, Then Who…” mantra and leading a movement of character, leadership and selfless service.
Character Does Matter Programs
Character Does Matter Mentors develop character and leadership skills in young adults. Grounded in the evidence-based field of Positive Psychology, they use a strengths-based approach to develop character traits in the next generation through a combination of informal discussions and activity-based learning.