Help Our Wounded (HOW) Founder and President Rosalinda Babin is one of a growing number of parents caring for their veteran sons and daughters. The Iraq war was less than a month old when Rosie’s son, Alan “Doc” Babin, sustained a near-fatal gunshot wound serving on the front lines as a paratrooper medic in the Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division. In today’s show, Rosie shares the powerful story of how Doc clawed his way back to life after his catastrophic injury, how her family’s life changed and how advocating for Doc affected her own health. She also tells us about her non-profit HOW, which helps military families with emergency financial assistance. The organization grew out of Rosie’s experience with Doc during his seven-month stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where she saw firsthand the many roadblocks military members faced in trying to get veterans benefits. Rosie also tells us how, fourteen years after his injury, her son Doc has defied medical expectations.

Music: “Burning Light” by Ketsa | CC BY NC ND | Free Music Archive