Here's a story of love and courage to warm your heart, and break it, from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Read the whole thing.
The sacrifices of injured soldiers, airmen and Marines are recognized with medals and commendations. But the mothers and wives who arrive here wide-eyed and afraid make their own sacrifices — abandoning jobs and homes and delaying retirement to help their wounded children reclaim their lives."The women here are the heroes, every bit the heroes as their soldiers," said Judith Markelz, who runs a 4-year-old program to aid the families of injured soldiers sent here for treatment. "These kids could not survive without their women."
The patients who arrive at Fort Sam Houston are among the worst wounded in war, suffering the kind of injuries that killed their predecessors in earlier conflicts.
So far, about 600 burn victims and 250 amputees have been sent here to recover at the Army's only burn center and at an amputee rehabilitation program set up since the start of the Iraq war. Their injuries will take multiple surgeries and months or years of recovery and rehabilitation.
When the injured arrive, fathers and siblings are often here for the immediate aftermath or early surgeries.
But the wives and mothers most often stay, Markelz said. They quit jobs, give up health insurance and abandon homes.
"None of us realized people were going to be here two years. That's not your normal hospital stay," Markelz said. "They didn't want to make San Antonio their home. Now, they can vote here."
One way you can help: donate to the Fisher House Foundation. They provide housing and support for the families of wounded warriors across the nation.
The Warrior & Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston accepts gifts and donations as well.
Posted by Alan at December 29, 2007 07:21 PM