Page 11 - Winter2021Skysoldier

Fisher Houses: A Home Away from Home
Fisher House
On May 31, 2008, in Jalala- bad, Afghanistan, just six weeks from the end of his deployment, then Sgt. Daniel Thornhill and his squad, assigned to Headquar- ters and Headquarters Company, 173rd Special Troops Battalion from Bamberg, German, were coming back from a trip to the post office when a suicide car bomber T-boned their Humvee. Two soldiers were killed; a third was injured; and Sgt. Thornhill lost both legs, half of his right hand, and suffered burns to his arm.
His extensive injuries were treat- ed at the Brooke Army Medical Center and the Center for the In- trepid in San Antonio, Texas, and he stayed at a Fisher House with
his mother, Susan, and brother, Matt.
Fisher House Foundation is
best known for its network of 90 comfort homes where military and veterans’ 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 Eu- rope, 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 en- sures that there is never a lodging fee. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’
families an estimated $500 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation.
On any given night, up to 1,200 families could be staying at a Fish- er House.
Fisher Houses provide comfort and support for the family of the 19-year-old combat-injured service member from our current battles as well as the families of veterans of past military campaigns. We were not there for our WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans when they returned from war wounded, but Fisher House is there for them now.
To learn more about Fisher House Foundation, please visit www.fisherhouse.org.
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