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When I first heard that Navy Corpsman Chris Braley, from Manteca, had been seriously injured in Iraq and was recovering at Bethesda National Naval Medical Center, I knew I wanted to visit him. On October 11, I got the opportunity.
Chris doesn’t recall the incident and only vaguely remembers waking up at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, but regained full memory in Bethesda. His mother has been at his side since he arrived in the United States.
Chris was wounded on September 10 when an IED detonated while he was on patrol with a Marine unit in Fallujah. He suffered brain injuries from shrapnel through his eye.
The week before my visit to see Chris at Bethesda, I was invited to attend a benefit dinner for Chris in Manteca, his hometown. The dinner was to raise money so that Chris’ mom and other family members could afford to stay near the hospital just outside of Washington, D.C., as Chris received treatment.
As my wife, Mary, and I arrived at the dinner, we were greeted by Chris’ cousin who was wearing a Junior ROTC uniform. The approximately 250 people present included CA Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian, Manteca Mayor Willie Weatherford and several other elected officials. There were also many people who had made a donation, but were not able to attend.
The event was a great success, not only because it raised money for the family to be able to visit and help take care of Chris, but because of the warmth and community there. I was truly inspired by meeting and talking to Chris’ family, friends and supporters.
Members of Chris’ family spoke eloquently as did Assemblyman Aghazarian, and Chris’ cousin Tyler Braley sang beautifully. The Pastor of Chris’ church, Pastor Mike Dillman, gave a short and touching prayer before eating, and spoke from his heart after dinner as well. A moving film featuring Gold Star families was shown at the end of the evening.
During the dinner, I announced that I would be going to Bethesda National Naval Medical Center to visit Chris. So on the morning of Thursday, October 11, my veterans’ affairs staffer, Tobin, and I headed to Bethesda. We were escorted by Lt. Christopher J. Greer of the Navy Legislative Affairs Office, and received at BNNMC by Lt. Mike Enriquez. Lt. Enriquez escorted us right to Chris’ mom, giving me an update on the way.
I feared the worst, expecting Chris to be in the early stage of a long, difficult, and painful recovery. Traumatic Brain Injury, often caused by flying shrapnel from IEDs is the signature injury of the Iraq War. In prior conflicts, this type of injury was normally fatal but new treatments make survival much more likely.
To treat TBI, typically, a part of the skull is removed to allow the brain to swell without complications. The removed portion of the skull is implanted in the belly to keep it viable, and replaced when the danger of swelling is past. This is the type of treatment Chris underwent.
In the hallway outside Chris’ room we met Chris’ grandparents, Larry and Anne Braley, along with parents of another TBI patient, and Pastor Dillman with his wife and daughter. I knew Chris’ grandparents would be there, but did not expect Pastor Dillman. We spoke briefly and I got to go see Chris.
To my pleasant surprise, Chris looked very good. I could see no swelling, or other visible long-term scarring except for his right eye. He was sitting up, talking to his wonderful mother, Debra. We shook hands, and he immediately engaged me in conversation, answering my questions, showing me his Purple Heart and generally impressing me with his spirit and enthusiasm. There’s no doubt in my mind that he will recover and go on to become a nurse if he desires, which he told me is his career goal and reason for being a Navy Corpsman.
We spoke for a good 45 minutes while his mother watched and participated. She also took a picture of Chris and me.
I know that Chris has a lot of work to do to recover fully. TBI is a serious and difficult injury, but seeing the support and love from Chris’ family and the entire Manteca community, Chris will make that journey with grace and honor. Chris and his family are exactly the kind of people that make America great. I will keep in touch and take great pleasure in watching him succeed in life.
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