Families Find Comfort At Fisher House

At Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Wounded Vets' Relatives Can Stay While Loved Ones Are Treated

(CBS)  Sandy Homuth and Lorena Moss are members of a growing club no one wants to join: the families of America’s roughly 10,000 seriously wounded soldiers.

People like them are finding refuge at the Fisher House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Fisher House was established by a private foundation so families can stay, free of charge, on the grounds of major military and Veterans Administration medical centers as their loved ones are being treated.

Moss' husband, Channing, nearly died in a grenade attack in Afghanistan last March.

"People just don’t understand unless they’re actually going through it — having your husband leave you in perfect condition and then come back not the same at all," Moss, 23, told CBS News Sunday Morning correspondent Susan Spencer. "Their life has changed forever."

Homuth's strapping 21-year-old son, Jeremiah, lost his right arm in combat, also in Afghanistan, just a month into his tour.

"I knew the risks, and it frightened me to think that my son would be in harm's way," said Homuth, 44. "I thought, 'He's either going to come home fine, or he’s not going to come home.' I never in my mind thought about him coming home injured."

"All of a sudden, there was an explosion, and it was me," Jeremiah Homuth said. "I looked down and I saw my arm just — well, the funny thing was, I didn't see my arm. I was like, well, 'Let me go out kicking at least, 'cause I'm not going to bleed out in this hellhole of a country.'"

His mother said the entire family has changed forever because of what happened to Jeremiah.

"They told us that they actually want us here," she said. "They see that soldiers heal faster with family members present."

For the Mosses, Fisher House is literally home. Lorena has put everything in storage and they have lived in Room 27 for seven months with their daughters, 2-year-old Juliana and 4-month-old Ariana, who was born at Walter Reed. But given what they've been through since that rocket propelled grenade slammed into Channing Moss' tank, it's nothing.

The grenade launcher hit him in the abdomen — and stuck there. It was essentially a bomb that could go off at any second.

"I looked down and I smelled something smoking, and it was me," he said. "The detonator and the gas tub and the tailfins were still in. I got tailfins stickin' out of my left side."

He's seen the tape of his surgery a thousand times, but can't believe the scene of bomb experts joining doctors in the operating room, slowly removing the grenade.

Channing still has to endure six more months of surgeries.

"Some days are better than others," Lorena Moss said. "Some days, I just can’t handle it. I’m like, 'I can’t do this.' But then I look at my husband, and I’m like, 'Wow, everything he’s had to undergo.' If he can do it, I can do it. We can do it together."

"If you’re by yourself, I feel like you don’t have nobody to encourage you to pick up your spirit," Channing Moss said. "And once I saw my wife’s eyes, I wanted to jump straight up out of bed."

[dave_schnell]

Thank you cbs for doing this story my name is Dave Schnell, Jeremiah is my cousin and I also live in Huntley, You grow up with someone your whole life and not know how strong and how inspiring one person can be, I'm an older cousin and sometimes younger cousin's look up to the older cousin's but in this case it's opposite I wish I can say I have half the will and courage my cousin has. I love my cousin very much and I'm glad this story was on T.V...

[blackhawkmom]

You can donate in a few ways, online and my mail to name a couple- all are tax deductible- to the Fisher House Foundation. Only 3% is used for admin purposes. They also explain how they are funded.

Check out their website at fisherhouse.org. Or click

http://www.fisherhouse.org/contribute/contribute.shtml

[blackhawkmom]

You can donate in a few ways, online and my mail to name a couple- all are tax deductible- to the Fisher House Foundation. Only 3% is used for admin purposes. They also explain how they are funded.

Check out their website at fisherhouse.org. Or click

http://www.fisherhouse.org/contribute/contribute.shtml

[huntley_04]

Thank you CBS for doing this story. As a Huntley graduate I have known Jerimah since kindergarden. It was so nice to be able to see his face and know that his recovery continues to progress and our prayers are known for. My continued blessings for the Homuths, as with all other military familes during the Holidays as the fight for this country. Jeremiah we miss you and continue to hope for your recovery. God Bless you All

-Katy Chaves
Huntley, IL

[touchofearth]

Why don't you tell it like it is?
While it's a blessing a private foundation had the compassion to fund fisher house, where is the US government?
These kids fighting for Bush's phony war aren't provided for when they return?

[slimm_jimm1]

Can You tell me exactly how the
"Fisher House" is funded. Do they accept donations other than credit card miles and if so, How do I contact and contribute.

[kiamori-2009]

They are fighting under false pretenses, if you value life liberty and justice you need to watch this video. It proves beyond anything that our government was behind the attacks of 9/11 2001.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4026073566596731782

Bring our troops home and send Bush off to die!

Every day more and more evidence is proven to show that our government is behind this, yes you will see lots of false theories being made up to discredit the real truth but really people only need to open their eyes. Watch the video thats been posted above and you will start to really question what is going on. Nobody, including myself does not want to believe that our leader and government is behind it but he is and the government is helping to cover it up.

Watch the video, just watch the video thats all I ask.

Then if you want more information strait doing your own research. Don't let main stream media use invalid points while they walk a circle around the truth.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4026073566596731782

[slimm_jimm1]

Can You tell me exactly how the
"Fisher House" is funded. Do they accept donations other than credit card miles and if so, How do I contact and contribute.