Families of Sick and Wounded Soldiers Can Now Rest Easy

Families of Sick and Wounded Soldiers Can Now Rest Easy

KSDK

09.26.10

Families of hospitalized military members now have a place to stay in St. Louis.

The ribbon was cut Saturday on the new Fisher house at the St. Louis VA Medical Center in South St. Louis County.

The Fisher house is like a Ronald McDonald house for military families. Families of military members get free lodging while their loved ones receive medical treatment.

Jim Donahoe was instrumental in getting the Fisher House project off the ground. He says saw the need while working at the VA Medical Center.

"Here at Jefferson Barracks we had wives that were sleeping in their cars and vans in the parking lots just to stay here, and as bad as that may seem, the worst part was the veterans came here alone because their family members could not afford commercial lodging," Donahoe said.

There are 45 Fisher Houses throughout the nation. So far more than 120-thousand families have been served.

This is the first Fisher House in Missouri.