We LOVED it! It was so nice! I remember everything about it. It felt so much like home. ~Desiree White

When Erin White remembers her 6-year journey with her late husband, she knows the Fisher House was a part of it. She knows that she couldn’t have been there for him across several states, trauma units, hospital stays, and rehab facilities without staying in Fisher Houses. But, it was her three daughters who remind her what the Fisher Houses felt like.

Richard & Erin White both served in the US Army, but after 10 years of service, Erin decided to focus on raising their growing family. At the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the operational tempo was so great that Richard was often away. In fact, being in harm’s way was so routine, that Erin hardly believed the news when she learned that Richard was injured in Iraq in 2005.

Still in shock and disbelief, she sent her kids to stay with their Aunt in St. Louis so that Erin could leave for Walter Reed in Washington, DC immediately. Reality set in when she saw him for the first time, being kept alive by modern medicine. Shock melted into purpose, as Erin helped Richard fight to recover from his massive head trauma and countless injuries to his body. She met President George W. Bush when he visited Richard at Walter Reed, and stayed connected with her daughters as they travelled back and forth between St. Louis and DC for the remainder of the school year.

Over the next months and years, Richard would be transferred to several different hospitals and rehabilitation centers as his condition changed. The welfare of her daughters was a constant priority, as was finding the next best treatment plan for Richard. As he began to emerge from his coma, he was transferred to the Polytrauma Unit at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Erin and her daughters remember being in a new city without a car, but never needing one. They could walk from the Fisher House to the VA, and public transit took them to the grocery store. Erin spent all day with Richard, then could head “home” to the Fisher House to shower and sleep. Everyone was there for the same reason, so even when she wanted to keep to herself, she never felt alone.

When the time came to transfer Richard into Long Term Care, the decision to move him to VA Detroit was easy. His parents live here, so Erin moved with her daughters to keep Richard close to all of those who love and advocate for him. She continued her daily visits, keeping a watchful eye for misses and mistakes. The hours away from the hospital came with no relief, as her cell phone was an ever-present reminder of her life on high alert.

Erin became such a fixture at VA Detroit that staff asked her to start working there part-time. She could support her family as an Advanced Medical Assistant, while being steps away from Richard. This proximity was so important, because without a Fisher House in Detroit, daily travel time from work elsewhere would quickly become a burden.

Striking the balance between work hours and bedside hours was a struggle, but when the time came for the family to say goodbye to Richard, Erin’s priority became the precious moments of his quiet transition from this life.

You never know until you need it. Anything can happen medically. Every VA needs a Fisher House, because you never know what you will have to go through. It’s peace of mind when you’re worrying about everything else. You want to be there for him. You need to be there. You can’t focus on his care when you’re worried about lodging. It’s a necessity, not a luxury. ~Erin

Her resilient daughters, aged 8, 10, and 12 in 2005, were able to survive this trauma because of family. Richard received quality medical care, allowing more time with his family who would eventually have to say goodbye. The girls’ Aunt, their mother, other families staying at the Fisher Houses around the country, and eventually their grandparents here in Detroit, ensured as much normalcy as possible through this unthinkable time.

Today, Erin is back at VA Detroit, working in community relations, and advocating for a Fisher House for the John D Dingell VA Medical Center… because she knows better than most… a family’s love is good medicine.