Comments:  Partly true. I contacted the Fisher House Foundation for verification of this rumor and was informed by VP of Communications James Weiskopf that while Denzel Washington, whom he says "has shown great compassion in support of service men and women," indeed toured Fisher Houses at Brooke Army Medical Center in recent months and pledged "a substantial donation" to the Fisher House program, he did not "write a check for the full amount" to build one as claimed in the email rumor.

The additional claim in an early variant of the message that Denzel Washington has a son serving with the Marines in Iraq is completely false, according to Weiskopf. The actor has two sons, one of whom is attending college in the United States and the other is all of 13 years old.

The snapshots of Washington's visit to BAMC began circulating with the later variant. The photographer is unknown.

Sources and further reading:

Fisher House - Helping Military Families
Home page of Fisher House Foundation, Inc.

Wounded at BAMC Get Star Treatment
San Antonio Express-News, 18 December 2004

Troops Moved Movie Star, But Rumors Exaggerate Gift
Dallas Morning News, 22 June 2005

Last updated: 06/23/05