Several mothers in our organization know
first-hand what the Fisher House experience is. One of those is Anita Dixon,
from
Wichita, Ks. Anita’s son, Sgt. Evan S. Parker, was seriously wounded in an IED
attack in Balad, Iraq, suffering severe head injuries. Accommodations were made
by the Army to get the family to Landstuhl Army Medical Center in Germany, where
Evan was being transferred following surgery. Before Anita left for Germany, she
received a call stating that Evan was on life support, with no hope for
survival. Evan’s family was able to be with him for 24 hours and Anita kissed
him and told him “I love you” before life support was removed on Oct. 26, 2005.
The Army’s plan was to send the family home on the earliest fight and to fly
Evan home later, but Anita insisted she would not leave without Evan. Anita said
the Fisher House staff “opened their hearts to us and ministered to us at this
time of devastating pain. Those six days at the Landstuhl Fisher House will
never be forgotten, nor their love and support.” The funeral memorials to Evan
were donated to Fisher House and the Landstuhl Fisher House bears a plaque in
Evan’s memory.Thousands of stories like Anita’s are repeated regularly by
families who have received “comfort care” at a Fisher House. With staggering
numbers of warriors returning with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries or other
severe injuries, the need to assist military families with housing is growing. |
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