Fisher House brings home front to wounded GIs

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Winter weather took a break and the sun shone as more than 200 people attended the Dec. 18 groundbreaking of the Emerald Coast Fisher House, located by design across the street from the base hospital.

Set to open its doors a year from now, the site of the future Fisher House boasts a 10,000 square-foot facility with 12 suites available to servicemembers and their families during medical recovery.

"The Fisher Houses -- our comfort homes for the servicemembers -- are places for the families who need to be near their loved ones in their greatest time of need," said Tom Rice, Emerald Coast Fisher House board member. "This facility has been paid for through civic rent. Some pay a little, some pay a lot, and some have paid with everything they have. This is a project build with compassion and respect and is a tribute to (the servicemembers)."

For one Airman, the Fisher House was the only hope she didn't know was available. In 2003 while stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Master Sgt. Janice DeLeon, 33rd Fighter Wing, was pregnant with her third son. She underwent an emergency C-section to deliver the baby and immediately found out there was something wrong. Baby Nickolas had a intestinal abnormality and was medically airlifted to the Fort Lewis, Wash., post hospital. The baby was immediately whisked into the neonatal intensive care unit.

Within 24 hours of delivering her child, Sergeant DeLeon was miles away from home, weak from delivery and alone. There were no rooms available at the base billeting facilities. With nowhere to turn, an unexpected option was presented to her: the Fisher House across the street.

"I didn't know what to do at that point," the sergeant said. "I knew that I couldn't afford a hotel room and rental car and billeting didn't have room and I was out of options and out of hope. It was then that a hospital nurse came to me and told me that I had a room at the Fisher House across the street. In that one moment, I suddenly had a place to stay, I had the support of the other families staying there and I could focus solely on my Nick - there was nothing else to worry over."

The Fisher House receives daily donations of food, bed linens, clothes and other personal items. Sergeant DeLeon was in such a rush to get her newborn to the hospital that packing was an afterthought; she didn't have to worry about toothbrushes or where she was going to get the money to pay for her lodging. She spent the entire six weeks at her home-away-from-home.

"The other families there became my family," she said. "At the end of the day, I didn't go back to the Fisher House, I went home."

The Fisher House has given similar opportunities to other servicemembers and their families since they first opened their doors in 1990. The Fisher House Foundation began as a dream of Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher in 1990 when the first home opened. Fisher Houses feature a common kitchen, laundry facilities, spacious dining room and an inviting living room with a library and toys for children. 

The goal is to provide the comforts of home, while keeping the families close to the treatment facility. To date, the Fisher House Foundation's 42 houses have helped more than 500,000 families. Today, there are 40 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and 10 Veteran Affairs medical centers worldwide. The Emerald Coast house is one of three that are currently under construction.

"This got started because of caring," said Trecia Chedister, a founding member and former vice president of the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast. "Fisher House at Eglin is a reality because of you, the community. Thank you for caring for these families. The Fisher House will pay it forward for many, many years."

Many echoed the sentiment of the growing need to make facilities available to returning servicemembers. Since 2003, more than 30,000 servicemembers have been wounded.

"This project is called a house but we all know it's more than that," Congressman Jeff Miller said. "It's a home on this very large base and it's even more necessary now than ever before with our involvement in the Global War on Terror. I know that we have the opportunity to make a difference for the men and women who will come home and will need our help in regaining their lives."

"We are reminded of our huge debt of gratitude to the men and women who serve so selflessly," said David Coker, Fisher House Foundation president.  "It is because of that deep respect that we fight for these houses to be built. We are honored to give them the very best when they need it most. They have never offered us less."

The Emerald Coast Fisher House is slated to open in the  fall of 2009. For more information on the Fisher House Foundation, go to www.fisherhouse.org.