The value of a family's love

  • Published
  • By Ashley Estill
  • Fisher House Foundation
FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas --  A family's love is irreplaceable, especially during a medical crisis.

When service members need family the most, Fisher House makes it possible. For service men and women around the world, Fisher House brings families together during one of the most difficult times in their lives.

A Fisher House is a home away from home for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and Veterans Assistance medical centers. The homes provide temporary, free lodging so families can live with their loved ones during a medical crisis.

For Army PFC Matthew Zajac, having his father, Michael, around after he was injured in Iraq made a world of difference in the healing process.

Matt and Zajac's world changed on May 3, 2007, after his Humvee was ambushed near the south side of Baghdad during a raid which caused him to lose both of his legs and severely damage his right arm.

Following the raid, he was transferred to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, then for arrival at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. From Landstuhl, doctors decided Zajac would go to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for treatment.

Mike Zajac arrived at the hospital in Texas when his son came out of his first of many
surgeries. Mike Zajac would stay at a Fisher House for nearly a year to help his son during the recovery process.

"They were dealing with my infections, my hand, the burns...everything," Matt Zajac said. "Through it all, my father was there and stayed with me. I really needed my dad there," he said. "He was the anchor that tied me back to reality."

Mike Zajac would spend the night at the hospital with his son, only leaving for an hour at a time to return to the Fisher House to clean up. As his son's health progressed, Mike Zajac spent a little more time at the Fisher House, still remaining close to his son.

"If my dad wasn't there, I have no idea what I would have done," Matt Zajac said. "I didn't know what I was doing there. My recovery time in the hospital would have been substantially longer."

Mike Zajac was around to help keep track of his son's medication and help treat his burns. With one functioning hand and burns on his back, Matt Zajac needed his father's help.

"I didn't even have the ability to focus on a TV show, so somebody had to keep track of my medication and change my burn dressings," he said. "If it weren't for having that room at Fisher House, I would have been in the hospital for months longer. They were great at the hospital, but it wasn't where I wanted to be. It was great to have my dad take care of me."

Eventually, Matt Zajac began to heal and gain some of his independence back with the use of prosthetic legs. It wasn't until Matt Zajac could fully take care of himself that his father returned to his home in New Mexico. Matt Zajac wasn't far behind, deciding to live in an apartment in New Mexico, not far from his dad.

The first thing Matt Zajac did once he got home? Get recertified for scuba diving. He can add rock climbing and skydiving to his growing list of achievements.

Medically retired from the Army, Matt Zajac didn't want to sit around and have a desk job. It wasn't for him. Instead, he now attends New Mexico State University, enrolled in the mechanical engineering program.

Looking back, Matt Zajac is doing remarkably well and maintains an attitude most of us can only wish for.

"I get a little frustrated," he admitted. "It doesn't come easy, but I try to keep in mind that anything worth doing in life is worth the effort you put into it. I've seen a lot of people not do anything for fear that they will fail. It's life. That's the way it is. I don't stop wanting to do things because I can't move as easy as I used to. The world doesn't stop because I'm not as swift as I once was."

Throughout Matt Zajac's entire ordeal, his father always reminded him that they would be OK. Not knowing what the next day would bring, Mike Zajac promised his son they would figure it out together.

"Dad said I could do anything," he recalled. "He always said, 'You'll do it.' I got an amazing amount of support from him. He always said I would be fine."

Having family around for Matt Zajac was monumental in his recovery process. Unfortunately, Matt is not the only one with this story. For wounded, injured and ill service members and their families, Fisher House is ready to support service members during their time of need. To see a list of Fisher Houses, visit www.fisherhouse.org.