Web exclusive: Brother's injury brings pain to sister, but group allows her to visit him

Region

EDITOR'S NOTE: READ MORE ABOUT MAGGIE AND HER JOURNEY IN TODAY'S PRINT RECORD-EAGLE.

Related Photos

Maggie Pezzullo

April 30, 2011

By Margalina "Maggie" Pezzullo, Special to the Record-Eagle ---- The Record Eagle Sat Apr 30, 2011, 07:14 AM EDT

My name is Margalina Pezzullo, but they call me Maggie.

I'm from Traverse City but live in Grandview, Wash. I am married to a wonderful man whom I met while we were both deployed to Iraq in 2003 and we now have six year olds twins and are out of the military. Last year I was laid off from my job and my husband had to go overseas to contract with a security company.

While I was in Iraq I served with the 204th Military Police Company out of Fort Polk, LA as a driver, gunner and TOC operator. I am proud of my service and believe that everyone should have the honor to serve. I was medically discharged from the military for a back injury that occurred while in Iraq.

In May 2010 my little brother Luke was deployed to Afghanistan with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Unit out of Fort Campbell, Ky. During the week my brother left we also found out that my father-in-law — who is more like my father — had inoperable stomach cancer. I was not mentally prepared for all of this. I seemed to be losing two men in my life who meant so much to me.

I'll never forget March 30, 2011. I was headed to a friend's house and thinking about what prank to pull on my husband for April Fools Day, my favorite holiday, I walked in my best friend's house and sat down and started talking to her and her husband. My cell phone rang and it was my mother so I ignored it not wanting to interrupt our conversation. My mother called right back, I answered and asked her if I could call her back.

No, she said. Luke had been hit by an IED, but they said he's in pain but OK. I started shaking and dropped to the floor asking her if he was headed to the hospital in Germany. She said she didn't know, I threw my phone and started screaming.

My friend grabbed my phone and started talking to my mother and her husband picked me up and took me outside, away from my children. I thought about the horrific images I had seen in Iraq and that any brain injury meant bad news.

Just that day I had gone to my therapist and told her Luke had 20 days left until he started the trip home. I'd been so excited. My therapist now says that I lost it all because I had been waiting for that phone call for the last year and with all the anticipation built up I couldn't hold it all in.

About a year ago I was standing in our local Wal-Mart reading a magazine as I waited to pay for my groceries. I noticed a story about Walt Fricke, from Traverse City; he was flying injured soldiers and their families when they could not afford it or if they were unable to fly commercial. I went home and looked up the Veterans Airlift Command. I called the phone number and Fricke answered. We talked for about 30 minutes and reminisced about home and being a soldier. We ended up becoming Facebook friends.

Last week we learned my brother was coming home with his unit and they were going to have a welcoming ceremony. I wanted to go; I just wanted to hold him and touch him and make sure he was OK. I sent Walt Fricke an e-mail and asked if he knew how to get a flight for a good price. He suggested I contact his office Monday morning, because he was traveling.

I did so and spoke with Jen, Walt's daughter. She told me someone wanted to donate a commercial flight and she wanted to help me. She told me I deserved to see my brother. So today I'll fly to Fort Campbell and will hold my little brother in my arms. I wanted to share the story of the Veterans Airlift Command and my ticket donor and leave this message: The WAR is NOT over. My family's story is proof that we are still giving everything to our country and we are still losing our brothers and sisters.