Prosthetics Give Army Veteran Freedom, Fisher House Gives Him Strength
Caring for the Caregiver: The Hewitt Family
Cover Story: World War II Veteran & Daughter
Share Special Memories in Fisher House
FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION
CHAIRMAN AND CEO
Kenneth Fisher
PRESIDENT
David A. Coker
CHIEF OF STAFF
Mary Considine
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Michelle Horn
MANAGING EDITOR
David Nye
COPY EDITOR
Blake Stilwell
LAYOUT AND ART DIRECTION
Gifted Eye Designs giftedeyedesigns.com
Address all correspondence to: The Patriot Fisher House Foundation
12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 410
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: (301) 294-8560
Fax: (301) 294-8562
Email: info@fisherhouse.org www.fisherhouse.org
Cover Photo: Cover photo by Craig Orsini at orsinistudio.com
About Fisher House Foundation, Inc.
Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment. These homes are located at major military and VA medical centers nationwide and in Europe, close to the medical center or hospital they serve. Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room, and an inviting living room. Fisher House Foundation ensures that there is never a lodging fee. Since its inception, the program has saved military and veteran families an estimated $610 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation.
Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles program, using donated frequent flyer miles and funds to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members, as well as the Hotels for Heroes program, using donated hotel points and dollars to allow family members to stay without charge at hotels near medical centers. The Foundation also manages an awards program that helps other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses, and children of fallen and disabled veterans.
Fisher House Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Donations to Fisher House Foundation or individual Fisher Houses are tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Fisher House Program
BY THE NUMBERS
Savings for families in lodging and transportation costs
12 MILLION+
Days of lodging offered $610 MILLION
500,000
Families served
98 Fisher Houses in operation
The statistics in this graphic reflect the Fisher House program’s impact since inception.
The statistics in this graphic reflect the Fisher House program’s impact since inception.
At Fisher House Foundation, our magazine, much like the work we do, is about teamwork. The Patriot is created in-house by our communications staff. Our graphic designers at Gifted Eye Designs donate services toward
LETTER FROM KEN FISHER
Dear Friends,
At Fisher House Foundation, we are proud to serve veterans of all eras and their families. We are honored to be there for veterans like WWII veteran David Perez and his daughter, Felicia, on the cover of this month’s magazine and Afghanistan veteran Matt Melancon who you can read about on page 13. Our commitment to serve active-duty service members and their families remains steadfast as well. I hope as you read through this issue of the Patriot, you too, will be inspired by their stories.
Today, there are nearly 18 million veterans in our country. The debt we owe them is much larger than can be fulfilled with a parade on Veterans Day and social media posts from political figures and organizations on Thanksgiving and over the holidays, a debt not just from recent conflicts, but from all wars, including WWII, Korea, Vietnam, both Gulf Wars, and all who served during the Global War on Terror.
When my great uncle Zach founded the Fisher House program 35 years ago, I don’t think he imagined the impact it would have or how large it has grown. What he knew was that there was a need that had to be addressed. Fisher House Foundation has served more than 500,000 military and veteran families, and we continue building so we can help even more. The 100th Fisher House in North Chicago, Illinois is under construction, and while this is a milestone we will celebrate, we won’t stop there. The 101st Fisher House in Little Rock, Arkansas is already underway and there are many other hospitals that have identified the need for a comfort home.
I am grateful to you for being part of the Fisher House program. Together, we will keep making a real and immediate difference for our greatest national treasure: our military service men and women, and their loved ones.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Fisher Chairman and CEO, Fisher House Foundation @kenfisherfhf
CHARITY RATINGS A+
Fisher House Foundation works hard to be a good steward of the resources entrusted to us. It is a privilege to do the work we do, and we are proud to hold the highest ratings awarded by the top national charity watchdog organizations.
Fisher House Foundation received an A+ from CharityWatch in its veterans and military category. Only four military and veteran charities currently hold this distinctive A+ rating.
Charity Navigator awarded the Foundation its coveted 4-star rating for sound fiscal management for the 20th consecutive year, a rating achieved by less than 1% of the charities in the country that it monitors. Only 13 charities have been so highly rated for 20 years.
Fisher House Foundation earned the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by Candid, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information.
In Memory Loving
Patricia LynnCourter
November 20, 1946 – June 29, 2024
Fisher House Foundation remembers Trustee Patt Courter for her dedication to military families. Her relationship with the Foundation began in 2001 when Patt’s husband, Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert Courter, was the Director of the Defense Commissary Agency. Patt noticed that commissary vendors were doing giveaways and saw an opportunity to make an impact, so she challenged her husband to encourage vendors to improve the quality of life for military families instead of doing typical contests. Fisher House Foundation heard about the challenge and offered to underwrite the administrative costs of a scholarship program. Thanks to Patt’s vision, the Scholarships for Military Children program has awarded more than $23 million in scholarship funding over the last 23 years, helping thousands of military children reach their education dreams.
Paul W. Bucha
August 1, 1943 – July 31, 2024
Medal of Honor Recipient and Fisher House Foundation Trustee Paul Bucha has been a part of the Fisher House family since the first Fisher House was constructed in 1990, but his service to our country began many years before.
Born into a military family, it was no surprise when Paul was selected to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. After graduating 18th in his class in 1965, he attended Stanford University where he received his Master of Business Administration and then began his Army service.
In 1967, Paul deployed his unit to Vietnam where his leadership and heroic actions earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor. His unit was on a reconnaissance mission near Phuoc Vinh, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam on March 16, 1968, when it came under enemy attack. While under heavy fire, Paul single-handedly destroyed an enemy bunker. Throughout the next two days, he directed artillery fire and distributed ammunition to his soldiers. His actions and encouragement allowed the unit to maintain defense. Then, while still in view of enemy snipers, Paul used his flashlight to conduct a nighttime evacuation of the wounded.
Paul continued active duty until 1972 and found other ways to continue to serve through work with a number of military organizations, including the Intrepid Museum and Fisher House Foundation. He was an active member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and served as their president.
“For the 35 years that I knew Paul, he was like a big brother to me,” said Ken Fisher, chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation. “He mentored me about service and sacrifice and helped me run one of the finest Foundations in the country.”
We will remember him for his dedication to the men with whom he served and the many men and women he impacted throughout his life.
Decade-long stay at Fisher House creates lifelong memories
Story by Christy Wilcox
Photos courtesy of the Broomer Family
Once a month, Roberta Broomer takes a plane from her hometown in South Carolina to Tennessee. She has a routine at the Murfreesboro Fisher House. For breakfast she eats eggs, sausage, and kale and does 10,000 steps before the most important part of her day begins. Her grin is ear to ear when she leaves the Fisher House to see her 93-year-old father Robert “Sarge” Storey who stays at the Alvin C. York VA longterm care facility on campus. She says having a safe place to stay is comforting.
“I’m able to be in close contact with him and see him regularly. There are times when he’s had surgery, and I’ve had to get up at night to check on him.” Roberta Broomer said.
Roberta’s family has military connections across generations. Her father, husband, and four siblings have served in the military as well as children, nieces and nephews, and granddaughter. Her father retired from Fort Campbell after 24 years of service. He served as a combat engineer during the Korean War and did three tours in Vietnam. For achievements
during his tours, he was awarded three Bronze Stars; two of them with valor. In 2016, Robert was the Grand Marshall of the Veterans Day parade in Murfreesboro.
“He just kept saying, ‘This is for me?’”
Roberta loves to give her dad attention during her week there. “I just spend the day with my dad and have lunch with him… and there are times when the weather's really nice, I get to go out in the back porch.”
The two spend time together in his room that is decorated with photo collages, including a recent honor flight and other memories. They talk and he reminisces about the past.
Roberta and Robert also visit the community room where Roberta interacts with other residents and nurses. Often, she shares ice cream with her dad because it is one of his favorite treats.
On opposite page: Korean and Vietnam veteran Robert "Sarge" Storey holds a package from his son-in-law, dressed as Santa. Below: Robert as an engineer in the Army. Roberta and her husband Warren carve a turkey with Robert. Roberta and her siblings together; the family stays at the Fisher House while visiting Robert.
“I’ll go back over there by five and have supper with him some nights, and then come back in the Fisher House in the evening and if there's food in the kitchen I'll eat or talk to whoever's in the house and go to bed.”
Roberta says she is thankful for Murfreesboro manager, Rebecca Woods, because her family has celebrated Christmas at Fisher House the past eight of ten years. Roberta has five other siblings that have also visited the Fisher House. They decorate and share gifts just like they would at home. Last Christmas, one granddaughter took leave from the military to join in family festivities.
“My granddaughter came home from the Navy this year from training and came here to have what might have been our last Christmas at the Fisher House.”
Roberta says the Fisher House is a fit for children of all ages. Her family often gathers in the kitchen and sits at the long dining room table with other guests. Roberta’s husband plays Santa Claus for veterans at the care facility.
Just like at home, Roberta’s dad insists she escort guests to the front door and thank them for coming for a visit.
“The accommodation I receive at the Fisher House is comparable to the care my father receives from the doctors, nurses, and support staff at the Alvin C. York VA hospital in Murfreesboro. They have all truly been a gift from God.”
“My dad would sit there and watch sports with my husband and my son and my son-in-law. There are games, there are comforting blankets that they would cover up with that are always available. So it's just a special time for everyone.”
Roberta knows the Fisher House just like her home. Fisher House guests who return know her from her kindness. Roberta said she saw a guest she hadn’t seen for nearly six years. Upon returning, the guest told Roberta that the little green cross Roberta gave her husband still sits on his nightstand.
“It’s lifetime friendships and relationships that you develop from being here.”
DAY IN THE LIFE
2024 PHOTO CONTEST
Each year the Foundation sponsors a “Day in the Life” photo contest to visually showcase the Fisher House mission. It’s often hard to describe the trials, camaraderie, and bonds formed, so we’ve reached out to the Fisher Houses to help show that through photos. Here, we highlight the winners.
MANAGERS’ CHOICE
South Texas VA Fisher House
Our young guest Teagan was such a joy while staying at the South Texas VA Fisher House and brought many smiles to the guests, staff, and volunteers. She enjoyed being outside on the porch of the Fisher House with her mom Megan and running through the house in her baby walker.
STAFF PICK 2nd RUNNER UP
Camp Lejeune Fisher House
STAFF PICK 1st RUNNER UP
Greater Los Angeles Fisher House
Our photo submission for Greater Los Angeles was from a Navy military family. Baby girl Aero came all the way from Washington, D.C. to our house for an intensive outpatient therapy program to correct her stride. The shy little girl slowly came out of her shell while she stayed here, and the family was a delight to have in the house.
Wounded Warrior Battalion sent over staff to check in on and support one of their own as he was staying and recovering at the Camp Lejeune Fisher House. They decided to pass some time by playing a friendly game of Monopoly. It warms our hearts to see people caring and taking care of each other, and we are so grateful to be able to share in a small part of this type of kindness.
STAFF PICK 3rd RUNNER UP
Naval Medical Center San Diego Fisher House
After 30 days apart due to cancer diagnosis, Lily took a day pass from the hospital to reunite with her entire family outside the Fisher House. This was the first time Lily was able to see and spend time with her two brothers [and Grandma taking the picture] after being admitted 30 days prior. The Resop family had a treasure chest waiting for Lily on the Fisher House patio filled with coloring books, a mermaid stuffed animal, a princess crown, books, and more!
These are just the winners from our votes! There are more photo submissions on our website at fisherhouse.org. Do you think you have a great photo from your Fisher House stay? Photos taken between May 2024 and May 2025 are eligible for our next photo contest. Let your house manager know if you have a great shot that you’d like to share.
MEET THE STAFF
Fisher House Foundation is comprised of many passionate and talented people. Each issue, you’ll meet someone who helps contribute to our mission of supporting our military, veterans, and their families.
Stacy Bilodeau CommunicationsTeam
Rockville,Maryland
Stacy Bilodeau Communications Team
Stacy Bilodeau is a powerhouse of the Fisher House communications team and the military community in general, even if she wouldn’t say so about herself. She creates hundreds of graphics every year to support fundraisers, communications campaigns, and more as the creative designer; she was the 2018 Armed Forces Insurance Coast Guard Spouse of the Year; and she raises two military kids who compete in soccer, one of whom is also a ranked chess player and mathematics competitor.
Stacy’s connection to the military started when she met her future spouse.
“I am a proud Coast Guard spouse to Culinary Specialist Jeremy Bilodeau,” she said. “We have been married for 18 years. Before Jeremy joined the Coast Guard, he served in the Marine Corps. He did one tour in Afghanistan with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371. We met while he was going to Crash Fire Resue School in San Angelo, Texas and I was attending Angelo State University.”
Jeremy transitioned from the Marines to the Coast Guard where he now serves on a river tender while the couple’s two kids thrive in the local community.
“We are one busy family,” Stacy said. “My husband is still activeduty Coast Guard, and we are stationed in Kentucky. He is on the Coast Guard Cutter Chena, a river tender. It goes up and down the mighty Mississippi and gets underway about every other week. We have two children, Chase, 11, and Bethany, 13. They stay busy with competitive soccer. Bethany is on a soccer team in the Elite Clubs National League’s Regional League. Chase not only loves soccer, but on the weekends, you can find us at his
chess matches — in 2024 he placed 11th in state — and also he competes in mathematics on the academic team — he tied for 2nd place in the state last year.”
Stacy supports her husband and children in their endeavors, and she continued to do so even as she fought cancer from 2023 to 2024.
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer on November 15, 2023,” she said. “I started chemo in January and completed 16 rounds of chemo, four rounds of Adriamycin — also known as Red Devil — and cyclophosphamide, and 12 Rounds of Taxol. This July, I had a couple of surgeries. I am doing great and hopefully on the road to recovery! I am a cancer thriver!”
Stacy started at Fisher House as the social media coordinator before changing over to be the creative designer.
“When I first started with Fisher House, I was the social media coordinator,” she said, “so I had the opportunity to be hands on helping people find a Fisher House, answer questions, and hear their stories through our comments on our feeds. I feel even more connected now that my role allows me to travel and meet families in person. I love being part of the Fisher House Family!” In addition to everything else, Stacy serves as the secretary for her local soccer association and as the vice president for the Murray Tigers Boosters Club while taking road trips and other travel when her schedule allows.
AIRMAN SUFFERS A SUDDEN
UNIDENTIFIED ILLNESS AND RECOVERS AT THE FISHER HOUSE
Story by David Nye
Photos courtesy of Rivas Family
Airman Antonio Rivas had left work at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma in September 2023 and thought he might have been coming down with the flu. His mom, Belinda, was undergoing back surgery in New York City, so he kept it to himself and headed home. But his symptoms rapidly worsened in the following days. He began vomiting, stopped sleeping, and slowly became delusional.
After four days, he called his girlfriend for help. She took him to the ER and then to her home. She watched Antonio get worse and worse before finally calling her aunt who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital. At the VA, the medical practitioners tried to help as his symptoms worsened. He began jerking, and his blood pressure skyrocketed.
At left: Belinda and Giovanni pose outside the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Fisher House. On opposite page, Belinda and Giovanni attend the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Fisher House II dedication.
Antonio’s girlfriend finally called his mother.
“I’m like, ‘Please don’t sugarcoat it for me. I need to know if something is wrong.’ She says, ‘In reality, I really do not know,’” Belinda recalled.
Belinda got her doctor to release her on a Friday to travel as long as she didn’t carry anything, and she and Antonio’s brother Giovanni landed in Oklahoma the next day. Despite their rush, doctors called as they traveled to the hospital to let them know that Antonio needed to be induced into a coma, and they couldn’t wait for his mom and brother.
“And I said, ‘Okay. Do whatever it takes to save my son.’ And in 15 minutes, I got there. The picture was horrific because his body was jerking and it looked like he was having seizures, but he was not.”
The Rivas were there when Antonio woke up while intubated, when he eventually needed 15 bags of IV medicine at once, and even when he coded and doctors had to save him.
A long series of tests failed to pin down the disease. Belinda was still bedside for her birthday.
“My birthday was on November 5 and they came with a little cake into the room, the nurses and Antonio clapped. Then I read his lips, he couldn’t talk, so he mouthed to me, ‘I love you.’”
Antonio slowly improved to the point that he could move on to rehabilitation, a process that could take years for him. The Air Force sent the family to San Antonio, Texas where the Rivas finally found the solace and comfort of a Fisher House.
“The Fisher House has been such a blessing. I was not aware of Fisher House. It’s such a great place to be,” Belinda said. “It’s been the biggest blessing for all the families going into different difficulties.”
Belinda appreciates the families that she’s met in the house.
“Different families have been going through hardship and different situations, and you are able to get closer with them and you meet different people. They give you support and sometimes you need to talk to someone, and you’re not home and don’t have your close ones. But when you come across people here, they also see you and want to talk to you. It’s another blessing.”
As Antonio continues through recovery from his unknown ailment, Belinda will remain by his side as much as possible.
MOM AND AUNT REINFORCE ACTIVE-DUTY
MARINE FIGHTING CANCER
Story by David Nye
Marine Sgt. Koren English thrived in Japan on her first assignment, got sent to the Philippines en route home, and served with the elite 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. With such a strong record, it didn’t surprise anyone when the Marine Corps selected the young woman for Drill Instructor School.
Koren passed her final physical to check out of Camp Lejeune and head to school with flying colors, until she asked the doctor a final question.
“He’s in the doorway, he’s like, ‘Do you need anything else from me?’” Koren said. “I’m like, ‘Could you just check this lump out? I just noticed it a few months ago.’”
Koren said the first doctor didn’t seem overly worried and still signed off on her leaving base, but he scheduled Koren to a surgeon. After that was the radiologist, an ultrasound, a biopsy, and a mammogram. The series of tests revealed a malignant tumor in her left breast.
“I just went into shock. How do I get to my 22-year-old baby? How do I get to her? And at first, she wouldn’t let us come,” Koren’s mom Michelle English said.
Koren didn’t want her mom or other relatives paying for travel or hotels around Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where she served, even after she transferred to the Wounded Warrior Battalion.
Koren needed doxorubicin, a powerful drug known as “Red Devil Chemo” that taxes the heart and liver. Koren, who had spent her high school years running to the beach, covering herself in water and sand to become a “sugar cookie,” and running home, now struggled to make it to the chow hall, often settling for fast food delivery or convenience store food.
“All she was eating was like DoorDash and Uber Eats and stuff. She had no idea of the power of family. She had no idea how much she needed her mom until her mom got there,” Mary Pagan, Koren’s aunt, said.
Traveling from California to North Carolina was hard for Koren’s family.
“At first, it was a struggle financially, I mean huge, and then Fisher House stepped in,” Michelle said.
Camp Lejeune’s Fisher House manager at the time was Josie Cotton, and she was able to provide lodging for the family and request Hero Miles to take care of their flights.
“The first time, I was there for four months,” Michelle said. “You guys got me the flight, got me over there, and you made sure we had everything we needed.”
“When I went the first time, my husband came with me and I think we stayed for 10 days, and it was Koren’s last Red Devil. And what Fisher House allowed us to do for Koren was cook homemade meals for her. And she’s halfFilipino and my husband’s half-Filipino, so we cooked a lot of Filipino food for her, and her friends would come to the Fisher House and eat. She was so excited for them to have food that she grew up with.”
Koren’s mom made sure that she had her preferred foods right after chemotherapy appointments.
“I knew what she wanted to eat after her treatment, so I would go get that ahead of time,” Michelle said. “After I dropped her off — she didn’t want me to go in with her — she wanted a meal from a particular café, really
wholesome food. I would have it waiting for her. Because of the Fisher House, we weren’t worried about where we would stay that night and we had the extra money to do that.”
“I'm telling you, once they got to the Fisher House, that last Red Devil treatment was so much easier,” Koren said. “I was shocked. I was like, ‘I don't feel like crap today.’”
In addition to providing healthy food, Koren’s family helped her track the complicated medications that supported her chemo.
“The last Red Devil was supposed to be her worst chemotherapy of the four rounds, and she said she never felt better because I was making her take her medication,” Mary said. “She stayed at the Fisher House the entire time with us. I had to sleep with my husband on a double bed, but that was okay.”
Koren, who is now cancer-free, is focused on staying a Marine and restoring her health, so she decided to engage in adaptive sports to help lose weight she gained due to her medications. Hero Miles was able to help again by flying her family out to support her at the 2024 DoD Warrior Games at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Florida.
And her aunt and mother got to watch as she received her bronze medal for powerlifting and her silver medal for discus.
FISHER HOUSE SALUTES
Military service members, veterans, and their families are supported by countless organizations that acknowledge their sacrifices. We feature a top-tier organization each issue.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER HELPS MORE VETERANS THANKS TO HERO MILES FLIGHTS
Story by David Nye
Mental health treatment center 1st Step Behavioral Health and its staff were excited when it became part of the community care network for the VA. That allowed them to offer their programs to many more veterans.
“1st Step Behavioral Health, it’s a dual diagnosis substance abuse facility,” said Naz Andekian, chief operating officer of 1st Step Behavioral Health. “So we treat substance abuse disorders as well provide mental health services for adults. We’ve been in the South Florida area now for going on 20 years.”
Since patients at the facility have underlying mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders, they typically need significant time in care.
“We do detox residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient services, so the entire continuum of care,” said Naz. “So we have patients that can come to us from day one and stay with us for upwards of six months to a year, even some of them stay longer because we have transitional housing.”
The treatment center is located in Pompano Beach, Florida, which bills itself as “Florida’s Warmest Welcome.” But that warm welcome is a distant goal for a veteran anywhere but Florida.
Fisher House Foundation’s Hero Miles program has helped by organizing flights for veterans referred to the facility.
“People aren’t coming to us when everything's going great,” Naz said. “That’s really the bottom line. So when they’re coming to us, they are hurt, they have medical conditions, they might have spent all their money, they don't have things saved up. So, you know, a $100 flight could literally be the end point of them getting help or not. So, Hero Miles has been a huge partner in us being able to do this.”
While veterans are with 1st Step Behavioral Health, the team tries to assist them in getting everything they need to transition out of the facility successfully.
“We do a lot of work helping navigate their benefits, making sure that they’re getting everything that they earned, by providing services and then stable housing,” said Josh Clark, veteran program director for 1st Step and a Marine Corps veteran. “That is probably one of the biggest things: our ability to have the longterm care when they come in.”
Hero Miles is proud to partner with health providers with specialized programs for patients at the military health system or Department of Veterans Affairs. Hero Miles uses donated frequent flyer miles to support service members and their families during medical treatment.
Prosthetics Give Army Veteran Freedom, Fisher House Gives Him Strength
Story and photo by Michelle Horn
Almost every year since 2016, Army veteran Matthew Melancon makes the trip from his home in Utah to San Diego, California where he packs three months of prosthetics care into two weeks. Fortunately, Fisher House gives him a place to recharge after each long day of appointments.
“Having my own space is just so nice. And I can just kind of like, allow myself to just really reboot, just like do the full power down. Not this constant on as if I was staying at some sort of communal center or if I was in a hotel where it's just so sterile. Here I'm not alone,” said Matt. “It just gives me the strength to wake up the next day and just go back at it and just not give up all that process.”
Matt’s medical journey began while he was serving in the Army in 2011. On his second deployment, while in Patika Province, Afghanistan, his vehicle struck an IED. He suffered bilateral calcaneal fractures, meaning both his heels were shattered.
When he was stable enough for the trip back to the United States, Matt was sent to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Initially, his care plan was to do limb salvage at the Center for the Intrepid. Matt had watched his father, a Vietnam veteran, and his grandmother struggle after leg amputations, and he wanted to keep both his own.
“I did not want to lose my legs, so for about two years I just really, really struggled with the limb salvage process. It was pain management and everything,” said Matt.
In 2013, when his leg became infected, Matt medically retired from the Army. At 23 years old, he realized that he couldn’t take the stress and anxiety that came with pain management for the rest of his life. That same week, he prepared for his first amputation. To his surprise, the amputation offered him freedom that he thought he would never have again as he got involved in recreational therapy programs that broke down his perspective of what an amputation meant.
“Within a year of that first amputation, I had worn out my entire ankle fusion that they had spent two years trying to give me,” he explained. “I discovered I liked recreational snowboarding.”
Throughout the time that he learned to live with his new prosthetic leg, his remaining leg continued to be a problem with significant pain. So, he requested to have it amputated as well. In July of 2014, one year and a week after his first amputation, he had his second leg amputated. Within 31 days, he was on the parallel bars in physical therapy to prepare for prosthetic legs.
“It was like having a heavy cloud over my future lift,” he said. “My prosthetics are not my disability, you know? Quite the opposite.”
Matt even found a world-renowned prosthetist in San Diego who offered to help Matt get as much performance from his new legs as possible, key to Matt’s recovery since he needed perfect performance from both sides for sports.
While his medical care was covered by the VA, his travel costs were not.
Over the next few years, he considered giving up because of the high cost of travel, but then he found Fisher House.
Matt now stays at the Camp Pendleton Fisher House in Oceanside, California with his wife Alexa when he returns for his yearly appointments. She encourages him and runs with him as he gets used to his new prosthetic legs. The couple also enjoys the back patio where she grills out and they enjoy dinner together after his appointments.
“Having that sense of calm when I come back here [to the Fisher House], those hours of reprieve in between going out and advocating for myself. This questioning and self-doubt that can just come rushing into this process and then I come back here to this sense of calm and of community,” he explained.
Caring for the Car The Hewitt Family
For more than a year, Ericka Hewitt has been staying at Fisher Houses. Her first stay began in May of 2023 when her son Skyler was in a terrible motorcycle accident near Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico where he was stationed as a senior airman responsible for C-130 special mission aircraft maintenance.
Skyler joined the Air Force in October 2020 after being inspired by his grandfather, an Army veteran. He had a busy start to his career, including supporting a mission for refugees from Afghanistan, but he also looked for new hobbies to enjoy.
On April 28, he completed the motorcycle safety course. He chose not to ride that day because of the weather, but the following day was beautiful, sunny, and clear.
“On April 29th, I got the call that pretty much every parent kind of fears,” said Ericka.
On Skyler’s very first ride, the worst happened when a car suddenly turned in front of him at an intersection and he crashed into it.
Ericka, in Colorado Springs at the time, received a crash alert from Skyler’s iPhone but didn’t have any other information. She and her family began calling hospitals until they found him at the University of New Mexico Hospital.
“Skyler had multiple traumatic brain injuries, other sustaining injuries. They weren't sure if he was going to make it, so I
grabbed the keys, got in the car and I drove with nothing. I just drove down to New Mexico,” she said.
During the drive, she received more information from the hospital and was distraught. Her husband Mike helped her get through it on the phone. “He didn’t want me driving while I was upset, he wanted me to be safe which reminded me I have a job to do and I was able to pull myself together and focus on the mission,” she said.
Initially, Skyler’s vitals crashed constantly, and doctors performed numerous surgeries to keep him going for the first few weeks. Ericka spent almost all of her the time with her son. Mike followed her and stayed by her side.
“Where were we going to stay? I really didn't know what we would do, because, ultimately, I left my job. Both my husband and I left our careers to be bedside for Skyler, and we still have a mortgage to pay. We still have a household keep up. Life is still happening,” she said.
She decided she would just live in her car, because “not being with Skyler wasn’t an option.” Then someone connected the family with the New Mexico VA Fisher House.
“I don't know what we would have done without the Fisher House, because the Fisher House has been not just a place to go to sleep, but it's been like a home. It's so beautiful.”
Story by Michelle Horn
Photos by David Nye
egiver:
Colorado, and then to San Antonio, Texas where Ericka also stayed at the VA Fisher House.
The support of Ericka’s husband and her sister, Lisa, has been crucial. Lisa and Mike take turns traveling to the Fisher House and supporting Ericka.
“She has been an integral part of our journey here and the Fisher House welcoming her to stay here with me as well, so that we can both take care of Skyler, support Skyler, but also so that she can take care of me,” Ericka continued. “Fisher House opening up their doors to both of us and to my husband is a blessing.”
“It means everything to be able to be here just for Ericka, but to be able to support Skyler and to have a safe place,” said Lisa. “It’s a huge thing to know that she's safe when I leave, she's taken care of, there are people watching out for her.”
Donating From Your IRA Donating From Your IRA
We have an ambitious plan to reach the 100th House milestone and beyond. We're grateful for people like you who are finding new ways to join in and help.
More and more of our supporters are making tax-smart gifts to support the Foundation instead of cash. Support military and veterans your way: Recommend a grant from your donoradvised fund, transfer your appreciated stocks and securities, or give directly from your IRA.
For more information, please call (888) 294-8560 or email khogan@fisherhouse.org
WORLD WAR II VETERAN & DAUGHTER share special memories in FISHER HOUSE
Story by Michelle Horn
Photos courtesy of Craig Orsini
At 104, David G. Perez is living a long life full of devotion to his family and his country.
Born March 1, 1920, he grew up with a large extended family on a ranch owned by his grandfather in California and joined the Army in 1941. He trained in California where they had to use wooden weapons and chalkboards instead of real equipment.
“They shipped out from San Francisco, and they were headed to the Philippines, but the Philippines had gotten taken over from the Japanese, so then they ended up diverting to Hawaii,” said his daughter Felicia Perez Kausin.
David trained as a medic in Hawaii before deploying to Saipan and Okinawa. He received two Bronze Star medals during his service, one for saving four men under fire at the Battle of Saipan and another for his actions in the Battle of Okinawa where he suffered a traumatic brain injury and spent five days
in a coma. Even after all these years, he continues to deal with post-traumatic stress.
“He had a TBI, and now we call it TBI, but back then it was called shell shock, but they didn’t acknowledge the fact that what he really had was that,” said Felicia. “When he has his episodes, he’s always fighting the Japanese. He’s like, ‘this guy was trying to chase me.’”
David was released from service in September 1945 with several awards, including two Bronze Stars. He married his wife Lillian in 1950 and they had two children, Celia and Felicia.
Today, Felicia is her dad’s caregiver, and because of his PTS, she likes to be by his side as much as possible. Over the last several years, he has been through a lot.
In 2018 he suffered four heart attacks in just 24 hours, leading to a triple bypass open heart surgery at the age of 98. He also suffered a fall and a fracture in 2023. Felicia needed to find lodging so she could stay by his side.
On the Left: David Perez and his daughter, Felicia, eat at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Fisher House in June 2024. Below: During a visit to the Fisher House, Felicia and David met Vietnam veteran Clemie Roberts and his wife Rosalind. The two veterans enjoyed sharing their memories. Read the Roberts’ story in the Spring 2025 issue of the The Patriot. On the Right: David and Felicia enjoy their stays at the Palo Alto Fisher House, bonding between David's physical therapy and other appointments.
Initially, she got a room at the Defender’s Lodge, but only stayed one night because it was at capacity. That’s when the social worker found her a room at the Fisher House.
“I was like, this is unbelievable. I was in awe, and it was wonderful for me to be there,” she said. “Dad was very worried about me and where I was and stuff and had a really rough time that first go around when we were first there, but we got into our groove and really got to know some phenomenal people who I'm friends with to this day.”
“Everybody was there, and they all had their story and their loved ones that they were caring for,” she continued. “I’m like, ‘Okay, let me take you under my wings and try to do what I can.’ It really becomes a family with your people there.”
Felicia stayed at Fisher House for most of the ten months that her dad was in treatment. She explained that his comfort of having her so close, where they would share memories and stories, meant a lot to her father. She described helping him look out his hospital room window and showing him the Fisher House.
“I think that the comfort of him knowing that I had some place to stay, that I was safe, that I didn't have to be driving back and forth. That whole concept of that, of just being able to be there, I think has been wonderful,” she said. “The comfort and the community, the sense of community that forms there. I think that's one of the things that's really just unbelievable. I'll never forget this experience for the rest of my life.”
COMMUNITY GROUPS
IN ACTION
At Fisher House Foundation, we have the support of community groups throughout the country who support their local Fisher Houses or raise funds and awareness for a future Fisher House in their area. Here are some highlights.
Marine Pfc. Ryan Jerabek's legacy lives on through the dedicated efforts of his brothers, Aaron and Nick, who organize the annual “Meat Night” fundraiser. This event, which gathers around 50 men from various walks of life, is a heartfelt tribute to Ryan and an opportunity to give back to the community in his honor. The group has committed to raising $100,000 to support the construction of a Fisher House in Madison, embodying the spirit of camaraderie and community that defines Fisher House Wisconsin. The evening, filled with an abundance of grilled and smoked meats, camaraderie, and shared memories, epitomizes the values of unity and generosity. We are blessed to have such a devoted group helping to bring a second Fisher House to Wisconsin, ensuring that Ryan's spirit of service continues to make a meaningful impact.
Fisher House Wisconsin
Friends of Fisher House Puget Sound wishes to honor: SolutionsATI for their support of Friends of Fisher House Puget Sound and the Seattle VA Fisher House. Friends of Fisher House Puget Sound is sincerely grateful for this partnership!
SolutionsATI is a veteran-owned and operated consulting firm that helps their clients make the most of their IT investments and provides opportunities for veterans in the technology sector.
“Supporting military members and their families is a cause close to our hearts, especially for our veteran-owned and operated company,” SolutionsATI said. “That is why SolutionsATI partners with Friends of Fisher House Puget Sound. Their mission of providing a ‘home away from home’ for military and veteran families during difficult times strongly aligns with our values and resonates with our team.”
This year marked the 10th anniversary of our CWO4 Stanley Krysiak, USNR, Retired, Memorial Golf Outing. The outpouring of support for this special occasion on Armed Forces Day (May 18) was tremendous. For the first time ever, the tickets sold out! One hundred golfers celebrated the milestone with us. Many of them have attended this event since year 1, long before the Fisher Houses were even built here in Cleveland. At the golf course, Operation Flags of Freedom created a full-sized flag display that lined the long driveway, and supporters donated fantastic raffle prizes and baskets. Proceeds from the event totaled $15,000 — another first!
Greater Cleveland Fisher House
Friends of Fisher House Puget Sound
Proud Supporters HEARTS in the COMMUNITY
Military family pledges gifts to Fisher House
Story by David Nye
Richard Coe served two tours in Vietnam as an attack and fighter pilot before retiring in 1988. He’s from a military family with his father and aunts and uncles all serving across the Department of Defense. And so he and his wife fully understood the impact of what they saw when they first entered a Fisher House.
As a senior leader at the Ski and Snowboard Association, he recruited athletes for the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team, and he went to the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, Texas in 2009 to find prospective athletes.
“It was interesting because, while I was there, we were recruiting people and the head of the Center for the Intrepid said, ‘Hey, you need to go across the street because they just opened up a new Fisher House and you need to see it, because it's such an important part of supporting all of these veterans.’ So we went across the street and sat down and talked to the families.
“I spent a lot more time than I had originally thought I was going to spend there because the stories of these people were so compelling. One of the ladies had shut her home down, left her home, left her job to be with her son and she'd been there over 200 days already and she told me that there was no way that she could have supported her son had it not been for the Fisher House. And the stories of each one of the families that were almost the same, that they were part of this support structure and they were support, part of this team, that were helping their sons and daughters through this most difficult period of their life. And they were just so thankful that they had Fisher House.”
Richard eagerly took news of the Fisher House home to his wife, Mary, and they agreed to look for ways to support Fisher House. Mary had her own deep ties to the military as her sisters also married service members and their father was a World War II veteran of the Normandy landings wounded in Germany.
“I’m all for anything that supports the military, period,” Mary said.
And both of them had seen how military injuries could leave service members isolated.
“My best man [at our wedding] still carries a bullet in his back and he was in hospitals for almost three months and that was back before Fisher Houses, of course. He was in hospitals all over Asia at the time. If his parents had been able to be near him, I’m sure they would have gone to visit, but there just wasn’t a facility for that at the time to allow people to do that.”
opposite page:
As the couple decided what to do with their assets in their will, they opted to leave a legacy for Fisher House Foundation, both because of their mission and because of how the Foundation manages funds.
“I’ve been in not-for-profit business for a while,” Richard said. “So when I look at a nonprofit, I look at, ‘Ok, how much of your cost goes to administration? How much are the people making? What percent of the money goes to fund things and what is the impact?’ I want to know what your nickel will do and how important it is to the people that are going to be the recipients of your nickel. And obviously the main reason to donate was that I had visited a Fisher House. So I saw firsthand exactly what the impact was. And then when I looked at the amount of money that went directly into funding the Fisher House, it became a very easy choice.”
On
Richard served in the Air Force as his wife, Mary, supported him. Below: After retirement from the Air Force, the couple recruited athletes for the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team.
HEARTS in the COMMUNITY
Corporate Giving
Guaranteed Rate raises over $1 million for military and vets
Army spouse Yvonne Coombes, the director of military outreach for Guaranteed Rate, had a pretty amazing start to her new job in May 2024 when her company had a very successful matching campaign raising money for military nonprofits, eventually bringing in over $1 million.
Jen Beeston, Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate, suggested the campaign.
Yvonne said, “She came to me and said, ‘Let’s do a fundraiser. Can you find some good nonprofits that we can support?’ And we came up with Break the Bank, and we had nine nonprofits. And we gave our employees an opportunity to choose which military nonprofit they wanted to support. Having been in a military family for so long and having seen what Fisher House does for the military community, I knew I wanted Fisher House to be one of them.”
They never stayed in a Fisher House, but Yvonne and her husband saw the value of Fisher Houses up close on two occasions.
“We have a son who went through cancer treatment at Walter Reed. We lived in Arlington and so just drove in and out for appointments, but we met so many people going through the same thing who used Fisher House as a resource. We’ve seen the impact, what it does for those families going through such hard things.”
The family also saw the value of Fisher Houses during a deployment.
“One of my husband’s soldiers got hit with an IED, and he was recovering back in Fort Bliss and his mom came up from Arizona and stayed at the Fisher House. It was huge for her to be able to be
close to her son. He wasn’t married, and he gave up his apartment when he deployed. So, she didn’t have anywhere else to stay.”
During the campaign, Yvonne and others raised money for Fisher House, and Guaranteed Rate leadership matched donations 2 to 1. Fisher House received approximately $50,000 from the campaign.
“It was so much fun,” Yvonne said. “You know, we were able to add a fun aspect to it. We had these ceramic piggy banks and anybody could have one to show people, to collect money, and to share on social media. So, we had a lot of people within the company reserve or order their pig from us. People were naming their pigs and giving their pigs personalities. My pig’s name was Kevin Bacon. We had somebody who had Piggy Smalls as their pig’s name.”
And Guaranteed Rate isn’t done with Fisher House. It’s invited Foundation representatives to its military appreciation event at Guaranteed Rate Stadium, home of the Chicago White Sox, and plans to do new matching campaigns in the future.
Story by David Nye
Fred the Fisher House pig
JOURNAL ENTRIES & LETTERS
Ann Arbor, MI
“Praise be to God that it’s possible to run places like this to help out the families of our Veterans. We couldn’t have been more comfortable and felt very welcome. Thank you to all that helped us to feel so special. You have a beautiful house here and your help are all amazingly friendly. Thank you for feeding us as well. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and may God bless each and every one of your staff.” — U.S. Army Veteran & spouse
Camp Pendleton, CA
February 19, 2024:
Dear Friends,
We are eternally grateful for the time you allowed us to catch our breath. Grief and sorrow have a way of taking our breath away and our time. However, time has a way, a wonderful way of showing us what really matters – friends and family. Thank you, Fisher House, for providing a safe haven for my family.
Columbia, MO
“Wanted to say thank you so much for such a nice welcoming home away from home. You guys took so much stress away from a very stressful time in our lives. You allowed me to come from Chicago and be right by my dads’ side during his triple bypass. I can’t begin to express my gratitude. Every person I encountered was kind, caring and compassionate. Thank you again." — M. Scott Family
Kansas City, MO
“Thank you for your warmth and compassion during my stay here at Fisher house. You were truly a Godsend at the most difficult time in my life. You have been more than friends – you’re family. A true blessing in my life. I will never forget all of you. God bless you and the entire Fisher family.”
Keesler Air Force Base, MS
“As I lay my head down for one last night here at Keesler Fisher House, I simply lay with a heart full of gratitude. This place has been a blessing, getting to hang out with people going through similar difficulties brought comfort when things got rough.”
Landstuhl, Germany
“Words could never express the gratitude we feel towards your generosity. The stress and worry a person feels when their loved one is ill or injured is immeasurable, and yet your team alleviated a lot of my worry. I will carry this experience in my heart and pray that one day I can give it back."
Silver Spring, MD
Dear Fisher House,
The Hallowell’s want to thank you and express our deepest gratitude for the support and the supplies you provided for our family during our challenging time with our baby boy in the NICU. Your warm hospitality & unwavering compassion at the Fisher House truly made a difference. Words cannot adequately convey the immense relief and comfort your organization offered me and my family during our stay. From the comfy accommodations to the delicious meals and quick snacks & support of the community, every aspect of our stay was exceptional. Your dedication to easing the burden of families facing crisis within the military is truly admirable, and a blessing. We are forever grateful for the refuge you provided during our time of need. May you continue to bless countless others and inspire hope wherever you go.
With heartfelt thanks,
The Hallowells (Mark, Karis, Elizabeth, and BABY GOING HOME)
April 2024
June 2024
Mid-July 2024
September 2024
Fisher House Foundation looks forward to the milestone of 100 Fisher Houses in service across the U.S. and Europe. These photos show the progress on the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Fisher House at the Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, which will be the 100th House.
May 2024
July 2024
August 2024
MEET THE MANAGER
Fisher House Foundation is privileged to have amazing managers at each Fisher House. These professionals do a wonderful job taking care of the families that call Fisher House “a home away from home.”
Alice Coleman
Texas William Beaumont Army Medical Center Fisher House
Story by Rachel Hill
Manager of the Texas William Beaumont Army Medical Center Fisher House, Alice Coleman, discredits the saying “When opportunity comes knocking,” because she didn’t wait. She did the knocking.
“I kept seeing this house, and wondered what it was, so one day I knocked on the door thinking the worst they could tell me is that I wasn’t allowed to come in.”
Former manager Harry Hicks opened the door and Alice asked what the building was, not knowing how it would impact her life.
As a child from a military family, a spouse to a military veteran, and mother of three children who have also served, Alice is familiar with a life of service.
“I have always been intrigued by what the military gave to the country, so I’ve always tried to give back to them because I know the sacrifices that have been made,” Alice said.
While she joined her husband on deployment overseas, she taught classes aimed at helping spouses get the most out of military life.
Feeling a sense of unfulfillment, Alice set out to do more.
After spending 13 years overseas, she moved to Fort Bliss, Texas where she was the mayor of housing for the next nine years. She spent time taking care of families while their soldiers were deployed, giving her the experience of caring for military families first-hand.
“It was very important to me that the families got taken care of because they can’t fight the war worrying about home.”
What Alice discovered was that the families were being supported but their finances were not. She saw a disconnect in the junior enlisted when it came to understanding how to save and not live payday to payday.
FISHER HOUSE MANAGERS
This led her into banking where she began teaching once again, providing financial classes to junior enlisted on the basics of saving.
Through each endeavor she volunteered with Fisher House. Ever since that first knock on the door where she had been welcomed in and given a tour, she gave her time to Fisher House families.
“I kept asking Mr. Hicks, ‘When are you going to retire? Because I want your job!’”
Alice moved overseas again. While she was overseas, the job of Fisher House manager at Fort Bliss became available, but she had missed the posting date.
She returned ready to continue volunteering and prayed often that one day she would be given the opportunity to be a Fisher House manager. In 2016, that opportunity was granted and Alice became the manager.
In the role, Alice has had the opportunity to serve hundreds of families who have come through her house. She celebrated with the parents of NICU babies as they grew big and strong and became thriving toddlers, and she held the hands of grieving widows as they said their final goodbyes to their veterans.
“This position is not a job at all. It's my purpose in life.”
Alice credits being a Fisher House manager with helping her find fulfillment in life as she is able to give back to military families who have sacrificed so much.
She has been a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for 20 the past years and seeks out more ways to help veterans. Alice also enjoys riding motorcycles and the freedom it brings.
Alice (seated) with fellow Fisher House staff member Charmain Little (left) and a volunteer Cassie Galarneau (right).
HOUSE ROUNDUP
We always love to check in and see what Fisher Houses have been up to. Here, we outline a few highlights from houses around the world, submitted by the Fisher House managers.
CALIFORNIA
Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton
Camp Pendleton
The Fisher House Camp Pendleton had the opportunity to share information about the Fisher House Program with the members of the Daughters of the American Revolution — Santa Margarita Chapter at their January meeting. The members presented us with a check donation, household supplies, and gift cards. They continued to contribute throughout the following months. We are so appreciative of their partnership and the support they provide!
Naval Medical Center San Diego
San Diego
Each June, Genentech U.S. campuses join together for “Genentech Gives Back”, a week-long annual tradition where employees come together to support the community through volunteering and giving. The program benefits a unique mix of organizations whose values and goals are aligned with Genentech. Fisher House San Diego aligns with their mission to improve health equity as they support military families during times of medical crisis. On Thursday, June6,
five employees spent over two hours beautifying our outdoor spaces at Fisher House I, from deep cleaning the waterfall feature to pulling weeds.
David Grant USAF
Medical Center
Travis Air Force Base
Travis AFB Fisher House celebrated our 30th anniversary this May. It was a very meaningful event, and we were fortunate to have lovely staff members and volunteers who worked hard to put the house together. We held an open house for distinguished visitors on base and around the Bay Area to learn more about the Fisher House’s missions and what we provide. It was an extremely successful event bringing in 150+ distinguished guests and active-duty members. The wing commander joined us in celebrating the 30th year since Travis AFB Fisher House began serving the military community. It was an honor representing and spreading more information about our mission. We look forward to many more years to come.
FLORIDA
Eglin Air Force Base Hospital
Eglin Air Force Base
Children staying at the house with their mom, a veteran undergoing care at our medical center, were able to have an amazing day when Disney came to the house with toys, stuffed animals, and puzzles. We appreciate the donations from Disney and the effect they had within these walls.
GEORGIA
Eisenhower Army Medical Center
Fort Eisenhower
The Fort Eisenhower Army Fisher House celebrated its 31st Anniversary (April 3, 1993 – April 3, 2024) with several of its Fisher House families— Monceaux Family, Hudson Family, Qasimi Family, and Marshall Family — with a ceremonial cake and other food.
HAWAII
Tripler Army Medical Center
Honolulu
SGT Brayan Chirino (2nd from left) started his volunteer magic with Tripler Army Fisher House in March by dedicating four weekends of maintenance work and general upkeep. A few months later, he shared Fisher House with some of his teammates, including Master Sgt. David Meulenaere and Tech. Sgt. Samantha Bolduc of the 439th Aeromedical Staging Squadron from Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts; Tech Sgt. Kenneth Williams, Senior Airman Jessica Williams, and Senior Airman Jada Harris of the 307th Medical Squadron, Barksdale, Louisiana; and Senior Airman Anokwu of the 301st Aerospace Medicine Squadron. After a “nickel tour” the team returned with a much-appreciated same-day donation of paper goods, supplies, food for the pantry, and LOTS OF SMILES for our valued resident families.
KENTUCKY
Blanchfield Army
Community Hospital
Fort Campbell
Alice Manfrin, a guest from Italy, was staying at the Fort Campbell Army Fisher House this spring. When the staff said something about coloring eggs for the Easter holiday approaching, Alice mentioned they do not have that custom in Italy. So of course, we had her color her first Easter eggs.
MARYLAND
Walter Reed Army Fisher House at Forest Glen Annex
Silver Spring
On April 26, 2024, the Winston Churchill High School lacrosse team visited the Walter Reed at Forest Glen Army Fisher House for a Day of Service, which included landscaping the grounds of the Fisher House. The exuberance given by these high schoolers left a lasting impression on all at the Fisher House staff.
The Fisher House staff and guests will be eternally grateful for the great view of our country’s future leaders as they served our house.
Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics & Surgery Center
Joint Base Andrews
Al Young, our assistant manager, does a great job of welcoming our guests when they check in or return to the house.
MICHIGAN
VA Ann Arbor
Healthcare System
Ann Arbor
The VA Ann Arbor Fisher House celebrated our 4th Anniversary in June 2024. Since opening on June 1, 2020, we have had the honor to serve 5,000+ families and over 9,600+ guests from over 32 states, one U.S. territory, and six countries. We hosted a cookout for our families in residence and supporters from Fisher House Michigan (501c3 Friends of Fisher House group).
HOUSE ROUNDUP
MISSOURI
Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital
Columbia
Bill and Marti Jones were one of our first guests at the Mid-Missouri Fisher House. Over the course of a year, they have been with us every few months and have become our extended family. They are the house parents when they come to visit. They always look forward to staying with us and it's like a family reunion every time. This is the Chevy Nova which they drive up in.
MISSISSIPPI
Keesler Medical Center
Biloxi
Here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we encounter strong storms and high winds. As expected, these conditions take a toll on fences. After working with a few fencing companies, we landed a great crew that was more than happy to serve the Keesler Fisher House with the project. Renew Fencing, a local small business, brought out a large group of workers and immediately got to work removing the old fence and building the new one. After two days of work, they completed this beautiful fence that will withstand the oncoming storms. Not only did we land a great fencing crew, but also a group from
United Rentals is volunteering their time and labor to stain our fence and give it that final touch.
NORTH CAROLINA
Womack Army Medical Center
Fort Liberty
Genevieve Sims-Wilson is a guest at the Fort Liberty Army Fisher House who also happens to be a culinary specialist. She loves to utilize the kitchen to not only complete her homework assignments for culinary school but also to assist her healing journey and bring joy to the staff and guests by allowing us to partake in her wonderful dishes. The food she creates is always delicious.
OREGON
VA Portland Health Care System
Portland
Disney Volunteers delivered amazing gift boxes for our guests and families! The toys and other great gifts will certainly bring many smiles to kids as they stay at the VA Portland Fisher House.
TEXAS
VA North Texas Health Care System
Dallas Bank of America volunteers visited our Fisher House to share holiday cheer with our guests last December. Their food and other donations were great gifts for those staying over the holidays.
Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
Fort Cavazos
Turning waiting into fun! The Fort Cavazos Protestant Women of the Chapel donated toys to help Zach and other kids stay cheerful and embark on a creative journey. Our young resident built a Lego Technic Monster Jam truck while his dad continued to recover. Thank you to our friends with the Fort Cavazos PWOC for knowing just what our families need
Audie L. Murphy Memorial
Veterans' Hospital
San Antonio
After being in the trauma unit for two weeks (complications from a ruptured appendix), being able to come to the Fisher House with my son until he is cleared for surgery, and for recovery has been everything. It’s hard enough for people going through the struggles; having a clean, comfortable ‘home’ to go through the process, and even being able to cook meals, is everything. Thank you, Fisher House, Robin, Connie, John and Ken. – Jeanine Raymond and Tanner
VIRGINIA
Alexander T. Augusta
Military Medical Center
Fort Belvoir
When you walk into the kitchen at Fort Belvoir's Army Fisher House, a delicious aroma usually greets you. There you'll find Ms. Lupe cooking a meal for her daughter Lakeisha who is recovering from a heart transplant. It is delightful to see her create mouthwatering dishes from the fresh vegetables in our garden. It's even more heartwarming to know that she made extra food just to share with you. She continues to bless our house through her delectable cooking as she knows "the way to every person's heart is through their stomach."
GERMANY,
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
Landstuhl
Landstuhl Army Fisher House had the honor of hosting New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon. His visit brought excitement and joy to the families staying with us and provided a memorable experience for all. During his visit, Judon toured the facilities, met with staff, and spent quality time with the families, offering words of encouragement and support. His presence was a significant morale boost, particularly for the children who were thrilled to meet an NFL star!
UNITED KINGDOM
Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Birmingham Birmingham Fisher House residents were blown away by the arrival of massive care packages from Disney. Since we had no kids in the house when the gifts arrived, we allowed parents staying here to select a few items for their kids for when they returned home. We know the gifts will be loved by families and hope they’ll contribute to joyful homecomings for the parents.
WASHINGTON
Madigan Army Medical Center
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
At JBLM Army Fisher House, we recently celebrated Mother’s Day with our annual Sweet and Savory Waffle Brunch. We had some help decorating, cooking, and creating a festive atmosphere as everyone came together to share a meal. Our grounds are now vibrant with tulips and daffodils that were planted last fall, adding a touch of beauty and hope. Surrounded by the blooming flowers, families find solace and support in each other, uniting during challenging times to build a community of strength and compassion.
OPENINGS, CELEBRATIONS, AND DEDICATIONS
Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center Memphis, Tennessee
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
A new Fisher House in Memphis, Tennessee was dedicated at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center in September. The 16-suite home away from home will reduce the burden of expensive lodging costs so veterans and their families can focus on receiving the medical care they need.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
John D. Dingell VA Medical Center Detroit, Michigan
Construction continues on a new Fisher House in Detroit, Michigan. The 16-suite Detroit Fisher House will offer more than 5,000 nights of lodging each year, saving veteran families over $800,000 annually.
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center North Chicago, Illinois
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System Little Rock, Arkansas
DOWN RANGE CONSTRUCTION
The following projects are currently in design.
• VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (Second House) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center Atlanta, Georgia
• Hospital de Veteranos (VA Caribbean Healthcare System) San Juan, Puerto Rico
• West Palm Beach VA Medical Center (Second House) West Palm Beach, Florida
Construction began on the 100th Fisher House in North Chicago, Illinois. The 16-suite Fisher House will support active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families receiving medical care at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center located at Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago.
Construction has begun on a Fisher House supporting the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock, Arkansas. It will be the first Fisher House built in the state and will have 16 suites.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham 0121-472-6217 fax: 0121-41306897
Manager: Patrick Hogan vs.fisherhouseuk@ssafa.org.uk
A home away from home
For nearly 35 years, the Fisher House program has helped families stay with loved ones receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers, because we believe “A family’s love is good medicine.” These homes provide free, temporary lodging to military and veteran families so they can be close to their loved ones during medical crises.
Since 1990: 500,000 families served | $610 million in savings | 12 million+ nights of lodging
