Wounded vets treated to high roller Vegas stay
 

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -

Dozens of wounded veterans and their families are getting a taste of the high roller's life in Las Vegas.

For the next several days, they'll stay at the Venetian and Palazzo resorts for free as a thanks for their service.

Venetian owner Sheldon Adelson and his wife actually loaned the airplane to fly the vets in from Washington, DC.

Arriving to the cheers of their hosts, more than 30 wounded warriors and their friends and families walked a red carpet at the Palazzo Waterfall, Atrium and Gardens.

"Wasn't expecting that, so that was a definite eye-opener… great!" said U.S. Army veteran Robert Laux.

Laux served three tours in Iraq.

"A small IED just got my dominate arm," he said. "I don't really have a lot of grip strength. I can't really move my fingers all that well."

Like Laux, many of the vets are still on the road to recovery.

"Part of that road to recovery is not only physical recovery but mental recovery," said Andy Abboud with the Las Vegas Sands Corp.

"We can't say anything but thank you. Because we happen to be in the entertainment business, this is our way of saying thank you," Adelson said.

The vets are getting tours of the Las Vegas Strip, spa services and fine dining, all free of charge. They'll even be treated to a karaoke party at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas.

An event such as this is something Vietnam veterans never dreamed of, and the vets assembled in Las Vegas acknowledged that.

"We have to credit the Vietnam Era.They got spat on and they got ignored, discriminated against. They made a pact, and I know this because I know several of them, that that would never happen again," said retired Army Capt. Mark Little.

Many of the veterans said they're most looking forward to the opening of Soul2Soul starring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Each of them received tickets.

http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/20273...ler-vegas-stay