Fisher House helps military families

Fisher House helps military families

WPTC

By Tania Rogers

08.30.10

Military families find comfort at Fisher House

Ruth Seefeldt and Jennifer Graham are inseparable. The two women were brought together in may by difficult situations. Both of their husbands are very sick and are receiving care at the West Palm Beach V-A Medical Center. Both men were Marines. Ruth's husband in World War II, Jennifer's in the Vietnam War.

The women have found comfort in one another and with other families at the Fisher House. Ruth said, "It's unbelievable, number one it's so close to the V-A hospital and the V-A nursing home. And the amount of time I have to spend here, we feed our husbands because they are blind."

The Fisher House is a home where military families can sleep at night while staying to the V-A. hospital. Jennifer said, "The girls here are wonderful. Like Ruth said, we have named ourselves the Military Wives, regardless of what branch of service we are in."

There are more than 40 Fisher Houses around the country and in Germany. The houses are found near V-A hospitals and military bases. This one in West Palm Beach has eight bedrooms, a kitchen stocked with food and friendships.

Theresa Ringel manages the home. She knows every family member there by name. "A family will come in and feel very alone, they are going through a very hard time, but once you start talking to another family and hear about their trials and tribulations and what they are going through, they automatically form a bond."

Jennifer said she will always be grateful for the Fisher House. "I have told Theresa I will always support this place, even when the good Lord takes my husband home I will always support this place." Ruth said, "We are a family, we help one another if I need her I call her on the phone. If she needs help she calls me on the phone. The Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher House, supporting military families.