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I
A2 • WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 2Oll
THE ISSAQUAH PRESS
Ir
By Warren Kagarise
Issaquah Press reporter
The challenges resonate almost
a decade after crude bombs deto-
nated along a roadside in Iraq.
The struggle for survival started
in the frantic moments after a
bomb explosion near Fallujah left
Army Spc. Rory Dunn, a Liberty
High School graduate, sightless
and near death. Then came a
much longer campaign to navigate
a medical system unequipped to
handle veterans from the conflicts
in Mghanistan and Iraq.
The day Dunn turned 22 in
March 2004, roadside bombs tore
through a Humvee. Shrapnel
~eierced the unarmored vehicle and
ft Dunn's best friend and another
soldier dead. The explosion shat-
tered Dunn's forehead and left the
FILE
"Re
mot
Don
"W]
rm'
he's'
Des
efev,
sk C
ctivc
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own
aid.
quebtio
Cynthia Lefever (left) and her son, Purple Heart recipient Rory Dunn, take Soun
Gunner. Duke and Mister on their daily dog walk in 2008 at Ran Regis Park clashes
Dunn, this is your
,,r! You will not die!
you dare Serf
thia Lefeve
veteran Roff Du~n' s mother
never I've asked for help
morn has asked for help,
~en there," he said.
te the assis~ from Murray,
persisted at~d continued to
~stions to keep Dunn on
uty for as 16rig as possible.
ver ever jgrnped up and
cried, thi'~a{ened," she
• just said, 'I have some
aS.'"
times, the crusade led to
between mother and son.
6-foot, 3-inch former basketball in Renton. Dunn, ffter month~ spent in mill-
player blind and deaf for a tim, e. tary h~)spitals, logged to return
The "baSle after the battle' -- this generation, are different from after the attack, but the still-frag- home t) Renton. Still, Lefever con-
as Dunn s mother, Cynthia any other generation," Lefever ile soldier needed care from the tinued he crusade for the Army to
Lefever, came to call the long heal- said. "These are young men and gifted surgeons al Walter Reed keep D mn at Walter Reed.
ing process opened days after women, although catastrophically Army Medical Center. "The'e were day~ when he was
the explosion at a military medical wounded, they still want to have a Lefever stood guard at Dunn's like, 'qet out of Rere. Go home.
center in Landstuhl, Germany. normal whatever normal is bedsides, initially in Landstuhl I'm going to buy y(~u a ticket to go
Lefever, leaned close to the bed normal jobs, normal activities. We and later at Walter Reed in home. ~ou're bugging me,'" she
and shouted, "Rory Dunn, this is have amputees that want to climb Washington, D.C. said. "In the end,]we ended up
your mother! You, will not die! mountains. We have blind people "I literally one day took the pen pretty good friendsl."
Don't you dare die! who want to hunt and fish." out of his hand when the colonel In WSshington, trips to the local
Duun did not die. Instead, after was there saying, 'You can't VA hosbital tested Dunn's patience
surgeries and rehabilitation, the 'You Just kind of go numb' return to duty so we're going to further
soldier beat the "imminent death" In Iraq, Dunn carried a laminar- discharge you. You get to go prepar,
predictions from doctors, ed card along on each patrol home,'" Lefever said "I'm like, and Irt
"I've never had anything in my against a shadowy enemy. The 'No! He's not slgmng anything 'Who
life that if I wanted to achieve it card, folded into a pocket in his today.'"
a
10c
if it was realistic -- that I haven't fatigues, contained instructions to Dunn earned a Purple Heart for would
been able to make happen," he complete a medevac call. injuries sustained in the attack, there ,
said. "I'm not worried," "There's no identified enemy," and officials kept offering the got c
Lefever is a tireless advocate in he said. "There's no force that we medal in hasty ceremony at the "Then,
the push to ensure Dunn receives go meet on a battlefield." bedside, our aF
proper medical care and benefits, Dunn, 2% said the card made"They kept trying to give Rory would
even if such care means con- the difference between life and his Purple Heart in the hospital, l ans th,
fronting a plodding and unrespon- death amid the March 2004
sive bureaucracy head-on. Her attack. Medics managed to trans-
campaign attracted a national port the injured soldiers to a field
spotlight to post-traumatic stress hospital in Baghdad.
was like, 'No, we're not going to went i]
do it here.' It was just not appro- heartbl
priate," Lefever said. "He was The]
blind. He was deaf. He couldn't erans'
walk. Rory basically said, 'l will tion 1
not accept my Purple Heart until ] membe
can stand on my own two feet, my "I'm
ass isn't hanging out the backdoor !raq-Al
of my nightgown and I have a 'Why
forehead.'" mailin
what's
'1 have some questions' The
Instead, Dunn received the the ct
disorder, traumatic brain injury Halfway across the globe,
and the catastrophic wounds left Lefever prepared to email a birth-
as legacies from the wars in day message to Dunn as the phone
Afghanistan and Iraq. rang.
"When you're dealing with "I always thoughl that I would
someone with a traumatic brain fall to the floor and not be able to
injury, especially as so many of get up and be hysterical." she
the service members that 'are said. "You just kind of go numb
coming back with PTSD, all of and you watch yourself make the
The system seemed ill-
)d to handle Afghanistan
q veterans.
.n we would go in for, say,
'clock appointment and it
tsually be aahour wait and
vas confusion and things
mceled," Lefever said.
we would ~ventually have
pointment, ~and when we
rome out, t~e same veter-
tt were waiting when we
L were still waiting. It was
eaking."
ag betweenlchanges in vet-
benefits an~t the informa-
eaching former serwce
rs also frustrates Dunn.
a veteran. [ served in the
ghanistan ~ra," he said.
n the hell Its there
nora
list to say, hey, this is
going on here?"
~ext challenge for Dunn is
linary arts program at
this complexity and red tape, it's phone calls and get the informa- Purple Heart in a 2005 ceremony Renton Technical (~ollege.
really frustrating for them,", she tion. Y~ou just go into this emer- at Liberty High School led by U.S. "Hopefully, onepf these politi-
said. "Some: of them are like, for- gency mode, where you can'tSen. pat~ Murray, a champion for clans c~n get th~s ~ount~. back,in
get it and they' just walk away panic and can't fall apart." veterans issues. ChecL'bnd I'll get ~"small business
trom it." - The bond between mother andMonths earlier, Murray called loan ar4d start a restaurant some-
In the decades before the Sept. son, almost severed on a roadside Lefever's hotel room not long after where,T he said. I~
11, 2001, terrorist attacksin Iraq, strengthened in the Dunn reached Walter Reed, and Thelatest milestone is vindica-
plunged the United States into months after the attack. "she talked to me for a good hour, tion fo~" Lefever -~- and for the
Afghanistan, the U.K Department "What I heard after he got hurt, mom-to-mom, and as my senator, years Spent fighting the "battle
of Veterans Affairs treated graying from his buddies and his com- She spent that time and got all the after the battle" onI many fronts.
veterans from World War II and manding officers was, 'Rory was details," Lefever said. "The next "Ror:rhas come,long way," she
said. ": t's been se?en years since
the wars in Korea and Vietnam. the stand-up guy who volunteered day, staff members were at Rory's he was hurt, but i~'s been steady
Medical advances meant service for everything. Rory was the guy bedside."
members injured in 21st-century who knew every job. Rory was the Though disappointed in many progre: s." /
conflicts could survive catastroph- one that we knew would watch political leaders for a failure to
1
ic wounds, but lJrospects for long- our backs,'" Lefever said. support veterans programs, Dunn Warren 17agarise: 392- 434, ext. 234, or
term care lagged. The rush to discharge Dunn respects Murray, a Washington wkagari'e@isspress'c°m'e°mmentat
"The veterans from this war, from the Army started not long Democrat. www.iss(
N
Holi ag?nn
Issaquah
Lt JUNIPEi S )_2
Restaurant & Lounge
presents
• " 2011
CHOOSE FROM THE SEASON'S PERENNIAL FAVORITES
WITH ALL THE HOLIDAY TRIMMINGS
4 COURSES
11AM-2PM & 5PM-10PM
,Choice of One:
- New England Style Clam Chowder -
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup -
Choice of One:
- Juniper Salad -
- Caesar Salad -
- Waldorf Salad -
Choose One Entree:
--Sliced Roasted Turkey on Cranberry Sage Stuffing with
Garlic Mashed Potato, Brussel Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce
and Mushroom Gravy -
10oz. Rib Eye Steak with Sauteed Mushrooms and Onmns.
Served with Garlic Herb Au Jus and Horseradish Sauce -
- 6 Grilled Prawns with a.Lemon Beurre Blanc
Choose One Dessert
- Traditional Pumpldn Pie -
-- Warm Chocolate Fudge Cake -
- Kahlua Tort Tiramisu -
-- Key Lime Pie -
Adult $24.95 Senior $21.95
Children (under 12) $16.95 Child (6 & under) $7.95
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
Please Contact Erin O'Neil at 425-392-6421
Holiday Inn Issaquah - 1801 12th Ave. NW Issaquah, WA 98027
Service
FROM PAGE A1
IFYOU GO
VFW Post No. 3436 Veterans Day
service
• ll a.m. Nov. 11
• Issaquah Valley Senior Center
• 75 N.E. Creek Way
new flags from the VFW to the city,
one for each flag pole in the city
(there is also one in the cemetery,
which does not need one this year,
Waggoner said).
"It's a commitment I made to
honor all of our uniformed men
and women in harm's way,"
Waggoner said.
Another tradition returning to
the ceremony this year is honoring
one of Issaquah's own fallen, who
are immortalized on the monu-
ment at Veterans Memorial Park.
Waggoner will give a 10-minute
presentation about Elizabeth
Erikson,.the only woman honored
on the memorial.
Although not originally from
[ssaquah, Erikson grew up here
when her father took over as man-
ager at Preston Mill.
After going through the Issaquah
schools system and later graduat-
ing from the University of
Washington, Erikson moved to
Yakima. '
"I was surprised to learn in my
research she learned to be a pilot
by flying crop dusters," Waggoner
said.
Erikson then became a WASP --
Woman Army Service Pilot
where she had to overcome preju-
dice from the male pilots.
Waggoner said pilots like her were
actually the ones who flew across
country to teach male pilots how to
fly the new B29.
Erikson was killed in 1944 in an
air collision over Sweetwater,
Texas. Her body was returned tO
Seattle and was buried in Lake
View Cemetery.
"She was never given a mill-
tary funeral, and I'm hoping to
rectify that some day," Waggoner
said.
David Hayes: 392-6434, ext. 237, or
dhayes@isspress, com. Comment at
www.issaquahpress.com.
VETERANS DAY HAPPENIN[
The Garden Club retirement
community is offering a free
erans' benefits seminar at 6:3,
p.m. Nov. 15 at 13350 S.E. 2{
St., Bellevue.
The seminar, presented by [
Elhard, of the American
Association for Wartime Vetera
aims to educate wartime veter
and surviving spouses of vetel
about little-known benefits
able through the Department q
Veterans Affairs' Aid & Attenda
program. Thousands are el
to receive these tax-free
which can be as much as
per month (actual
determined by the VA).
To meet eligibility, veterans
must have served at least 90
days with one day during a
declared war and satisfy certa
financial and health require-
ments, as determined by the ~,
on a case-by-case basis. Lear~
more about the Aid & Attenda
benefits program
daytouch.com/Veterans/
aid-attendance-benefits.aspx.
Refreshments will be provided
RSVP or learn more about the
seminar by calling 643-7111.
Free massage
Issaquah Massage Envy
a "thank you" on Veterans Day
with free, one-hour
sions
and their spouses,'me Issaqu~
Massage Envy is at 735 N.W.
Gilman Blvd ,. Suite E. Proof
military status is
event requires an
and there are a
free
each clinic. Call 391-4455 fol
reservations or go to
sageenvy.com for locations.
Free car wash
Brown Bear CarWash offers
Bear Essential tunnel washes
current military personnel,
and their spouses on Veteran's
at 41 Western Washington
tions. Issa(~ ~ah's Brown Bear is
22121 S.E. 56th St.
F-
Klahanie Shopping Center County. Other tenants at the ~h9p.-
is sold for $22 million ping center include a fitness ®nter,
restaurants and a bank branch.
The commercial hub in The sale is among the l~rgest
Klahanie, the namesake Klahanie real estate transaction~ in
Shopping Center, sold last week for Issaquah area in the past ye~tr.
$22 million. In July, Preston-based aSparel
Seattle-based Hogate Properties company SanMar purchased a
sold the shopping center to Gerrity glass-sheathed office buildin~ as a
Group, a company based in Solaria corporate headquarters fo~ $32
Beach, Calif. million. In September, Htwaii-
QFC anchors the 49,000-square- based A&B Properties Inc. ac(~fired
foot shopping center, the commer- the Siemens Building alon~ East
cial hub for the Klahanie commu- Lake Sammamish Parkway
nity in unincorporated KingSoutheast for $19.7 million. ]
1
Thank Y,
for choosing
Dr. Barry
& Dr. Mark
of 2011
Thank you lssaqual;
for voting us
BEST MEXICAN
RESTAURANT 2011
te Peolle
d. Passio
Passionate Foe no .
Orders To Go .[
r
Catering ~Parking in Bac~ ~
59 Front St. N., Issaq