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Show Of) HiRtop November 9, 2000 Shooting victim thanks leave, money donors Houston, Texas; by Richard Zowie San Antonio ALC Public Affairs While facial recovering from brain and injuries she received from a drive-b- y shooting in 1999, Deborah Flores was accustomed to cards and flowers from receiving get-we- ll countless visitors. But one day, she received some completely unexpected gifts: 2,479 hours of donated medical leave time (equating to more than 17 months of leave) and more than $9,000 in donations to help cover her medical bills. The gifts came at a seemKELLY AFB, Texas (AFMCNS) ingly perfect time, because Flores has spent more than a year in the hospital and rehabilitation. Flores works as a secretary in Kellys financial management directorate. At the time of the shooting which nearly took her life, she worked in the 76th Security Forces Squadron as an assistant supervisor in pass and registration. She also had previously worked as a secretary in the aerospace equip- ment directorate. Flores said that when she received the gifts of leave and money, she was shocked by the unexpected generosity. When I found out I was given all those hours and the money for the bills, I couldnt believe people were that nice or wanting to help me that much, she said. Ironically, Flores had donated hours of leave time in the past to people who needed extra time for medical emergencies. I didnt realize Id have so many hours available or so much money available to get bills paid, she said. Id like to thank all those people from all the bases that did anything they could to help me. In total, Flores received leave and financial donations from Kelly; Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB, Brooks AFB and For Sam .s. f s i i. AFB, Ohio; Kirtland AFB, N.M.; and bold Hill AFB, Utah, end bold Arthur Senecal, 76th - SFS administration . Wright-Patterso- n and reports flight administration chief, and Dan English, EG&G MSSA security director, were instrumental in collecting the leave for Flores. At the time of the incident, we knew she had very little sick or annual leave accrued, said Senecal. He and English advertised about Flores need through local alerts and put an article in the base newspapers, as well as contacted their counterparts at different bases. Senecal stressed, I thought to myself, This is great, maybe well get her some time. e-m-ail Senecal called the response phenomenal, but said that additional work was needed to help Flores retain the donated leave. At the time of her accident, she was working a temporary position that was scheduled to expire in September 1999. The rules of leave are, when an individual leaves civil service, any unused, donated leave is recomputed in the system and is given back to the donors, explained Senecal. Debbie had enough leave to carry her to May 25, 2000. Her staying wasnt costing the government a dime because she was on leave time. And Im sure the people who donated the leave time would rather she use it than to get it back. Col. Bobbie Wright, 76th Air Base Wing vice commander, worked it so that a new position could be created for Debbie to work for me. As a result, Debbie rolled over into the new position and stayed on leave status until May this year, Senecal said. She transferred to her new job in September this year. English, then a technical sergeant serving as the noncommissioned offi cer in charge of pass and registration at the 76th SFS, set up a special fund for Flores. This was used to deposit donations collected from individuals g as well as from events. fund-raisin- English also organized a major fundraiser (selling chicken dinners) that netted the first $3,000 for Flores special fund. As impressed as Senecal, English and others may have been by the generosity hundreds of donors displayed to Flores, they marveled as well at her resiliency. Flores was shot twice in a drive-b- y shooting Feb. 28, 1999, while visiting her brother. The second bullet split the top part of her left ear, but the first bullet did the damage: It penetrated her cheek about an inch under her left eye and traveled around inside her skull before exiting behind her left ear. Doctors said the bullet caused significant damage to the temporal lobe (which, among many of its functions, controls speech) on the left side of her brain, and it destroyed much of her left inner ear causing permanent hearing loss in that ear. As devastating as the injuries sound, Flores said she felt nothing when she was shot I felt the sensation that someone was .messingwith my hair, she recalled, ifelt nothing; I thought I was having a bad hair day. After I was shot, I was even trying to comb my hair. Flores was taken to the hospital, where she underwent the first of six surgeries. In addition to the six shes undergone, two more surgeries are still necessary. She has undergone two brain surgeries, one surgery on her eye, one surgery on her ear, one surgery to -- reconstruct her left cheek and one to close her neck after shed had a tracheotomy. She spent more than two months in the hospital, which included coma. a Flores spent four months in a rehabilitation center, which included physical, speech and social therapy. To me, it was a nightmare, she recalled. I had to relearn how to do everything speak, walk and even think. I felt like I was going to kindergarten and getting, started again, since I couldnt remember how to do so many things. Although Flores was scheduled for a years worth of rehabilitation, she said she felt ready to return to work after three months. Even after waking up from my coma in the hospital, I kept thinking, Im late! I have to get out of bed and get to work! she recalled. I felt ready to return to work after three months of rehab. To me, I felt like I was wasting my time and wanted to return to work. Flores feels that the injury, though as trying as it was, was a blessing in disguise. Im not unhappy about anything that happened to me, she explained. I feel it woke me up and has brought me closer to God, and I feel I have a better understanding of who He is now. Ive had the opportunity to speak at churches and schools and share my experiences with them. Flores is presently about to complete her second associates degree and will be working on a degree in business management from Texas A&M. This month, shell be leaving Kelly to begin a new job in Child Support Enforcement for the State of Texas. But before she leaves, she wants to let people know how appreciative she is of the help they gave her. I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me in my time of need, and I thank God for giving me a second chance in life, she said. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, and to let them know Im back to work. ,, Chariot ,(fluto Sales has moved to 562 S. State, Clearfield cater to the militaiy with special financing We exclusively AUTOMOBILE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE With These Valuable Benefits: $ Low $ Monthly payment plan Money-savin- g discounts claim service $ 4 Immediate coverage $ Free rate quote Call or visit today: down-payme- nt 1410 N. Hillfield Rd. 4 Layton, Utah 84041 801-444-92- 84 24-ho- ur available. No Down, No Credit, E-and up when everyone else says NO Chariot says YES! Is WE PAY YOUR NEXT PAYCHECK TODAY! Come See Us TODAY! Chariot yiuto Sales (Next to Macey's) 562 South State, Clearfield (801) 774-619- V 5 246308 TheGSsaJLX Thrift Shop Needs Your Reusable Items. 5 to 02ia.t:e. |