Wingman concept in action helps family in need

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd ARW Public Affairs Office
Almost six months ago Master Sgt. Constance Wetzel, 92nd Air Refueling Wing, wing inspections superintendent, had much on her mind as she was preparing to retire from a 22-year career in the Air Force, seven of which she spent at Fairchild in her current occupation.

On Nov. 30, the mother of two, 17-year old, Timothy, and 13-year-old, Sara, realized she had to change those plans when her daughter, a healthy teenager, started having troubling symptoms.

It began as a tingling sensation in Sara's toes that traveled through the rest of her body. After approximately ten minutes with the doctor on base, she was diagnosed with Guillan-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system that can develop in only a few hours or up to a few weeks.

Sara was transferred from the emergency room to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane on Dec. 1.

"She was completely paralyzed by this illness," said Sergeant Wetzel, who also stated that her daughter was unable to speak.

After Sara gained the strength to nod her head, she used an alternate way to communicate with her visitors. She nodded yes or no to letters on a board in order to spell out words and sentences. After about one week, Sara was able to turn out sentences very quickly, said her mother.

"Because of the bond that Sara and I had, we were able to communicate much faster than others," Sergeant Wetzel said.

The doctors expected Sara to be in the PICU for a minimum of six months, but after two months, she was strong enough to be released to St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane.

While in rehabilitation, Sara endured intensive therapy. For 3.5 hours per day she performed physical, occupational, speech and recreational therapies, as well as community integration.

"Some of the therapy was incredibly painful for her," said Sara's mother. Yet Sara was focused on recovering from this devastating disorder.

It was amazing that she only started moving her fingers on Jan. 7 and by the second week in February she started painting in the recreational therapy at St. Luke's, said Sergeant Wetzel. Also, during the community integration therapy, she was learning how to get in and out of cars and restaurants, among other activities.

On March 29, after two months of rehabilitation, Sara was released to go home, where only days before a team from the 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron installed a wheelchair lift for her.

It was only two weeks before that Sergeant Wetzel was in the housing office filling out a request form for wheelchair access. By the time her daughter was released, the team had removed the bark, dug out the area, poured the cement and wired the location for the lift.

"I couldn't believe they were working on the ramp at 6:45 in the morning, in the rain and digging in the mud," said Sergeant Wetzel. "They were doing a great job and they were happy to do it," she said of the team.

This was not the only act of kindness shown to the Wetzel family.

The Wetzels' neighbor, Jessica Chadwick, was with Sara and her mother during the first week in the hospital.

"We weren't in the emergency room but 10 minutes before she was there," said the sergeant.

After that, Mrs. Chadwick and her family took in Timothy for the entire four months that Sara was in the hospital and rehabilitation.

During that time, Sergeant Wetzel was given time off to stay with her daughter while she was at Sacred Heart, which came with a high price as she was driving to and from the hospital, paying for parking and eating all of her meals in the hospital cafeteria.

"A master sergeant in the Air Force would be able to afford this, but not for an extended amount of time," said Sergeant Wetzel.

To assist with these costs, Vada Martinez, 92nd ARW wing plans, and Kurt Tempel, 92nd ARW treaty compliance chief, spearheaded a project to collect money to pay for a meal card at the hospital and to purchase an AAFES gift card to pay for gas in her vehicle. Also, Rulene Henderson, wife of Herbert Henderson, 92nd ARW chief of strategic combat plans, worked to get Sergeant Wetzel free parking at the hospital.

"Everybody's contribution was magnified because we have so few people in the office," said Mr. Henderson. "It took a lot of time, effort and interest. Because Sergeant Wetzel is a big part of our office, it was important to help Sara Wetzel and her mother."

While Sara was in rehabilitation, her mother would stay with her at night and return to duty in the morning, not an easy lifestyle but one that Sergeant Wetzel tolerated in order to be by her daughter's side.

Mrs. Martinez was appointed as a sort of liaison between Sergeant Wetzel and those who wanted to help. She put together a schedule for anyone who wanted to volunteer to stay with Sara to give her mother a break. Maj. David Willis, 92nd ARW chief of aircrew combat mission training, along with his wife and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, Mr. Temple, and Mrs. Martinez were among those who stayed with Sara.

It's scary to be thirteen years old and be so severely ill, said Sergeant Wetzel. Yet, Sara's visitors kept her spirits up.

"I don't know how we would have gotten through this without all the help," Sergeant Wetzel said. "It's hard to recognize everyone who played a part in this. I could start today and still not thank everyone who supported us."

The day Sara was released from St. Luke's, Sergeant Wetzel brought her to the office.

"When Sara stepped out of the car you would have thought it was a rock concert," said Sergeant Wetzel. "Everyone was cheering and clapping. My daughter told me, 'That was strange. I feel happy that so many people care.'"

Sara is doing well and is going to school, said Sergeant Wetzel, though she is still in a wheelchair.

Sergeant Wetzel said this is definitely a practical application of the Wingman culture that is promoted throughout the Air Force. It is an incredible example of Wingmen watching out for each other.