Hines VA’s Fisher House celebrates 13th anniversary
Maria Gresham started crying when Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital medical staff said her husband Marshall needed a knee replacement.
“We live in Michigan, and I asked, ‘are there any cheap hotels around here,’ or if I could stay in his room,” she recalled. “We couldn’t afford for me to stay in a nice hotel for that long. But then the nurse asked if we ever heard of Fisher House?”
Hines VA’s Fisher House opened on March 1, 2010, at the hospital’s main campus and is part of the non-profit Fisher House Foundation, which maintains hotel-like properties at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and military bases nationwide for families who live far from their medical care.
Maria stayed at the Hines VA Fisher House for 45 days while Marshall, an Army Veteran, recovered from surgery, and they have stayed many times since their first visit for additional care.
The 15,000-square-foot Hines building has 20 guest rooms, a kitchen and dining area, communal spaces, and an outdoor patio. Like the Greshams, Veterans and their families stay at all Fisher Houses for free, according to Holly Wright, who has managed the Hines location since its opening.
But after 13 years and helping hundreds of Veterans and families, the Hines VA Fisher House has become something more than free lodging.
“It’s a home,” said Wright.
Wright explained that guests stay at the Hines VA Fisher House multiple times over years of treatment, and staff and volunteers quickly become part of their lives. For Wright, among the most memorable guests were Ernest and Pearl Clark.
Ernest was a Vietnam Veteran from Rockford, Illinois, who first came to Fisher House with his wife Pearl in 2012 to receive treatment for complications to Agent Orange exposure. The Clarks often stayed for treatment until Ernest entered hospice at Hines shortly before his passing in 2018.
“He was in [Hines Community Living Center] for hospice in the end, and when they would let him, Ernest would come over. We’d sit outside and have lunch together,” Wright recalled mournfully. “No one comes here one time. And we hope that everyone leaves better, but it’s not always the case. It’s like losing a family member.”
Soon after Ernest’s passing, Pearl died of cancer. She kept her diagnosis secret to focus on her husband’s care.
“It’s heartbreaking that Ernest and Pearl are both gone,” said Maria, who became friends with the couple during their shared stays.
“But Fisher House brought us all together, and for that, I will always be grateful,” Marshall responded.
However, for every sad moment, there are joyful memories at Hines VA’s Fisher House, including an impromptu Christmas Eve wedding with Santa Claus.
According to Wright, Ken and Pam Ewing stayed at Fisher House in late-2018. The couple received their marriage license but couldn’t find a place to hold a ceremony.
On Christmas Eve 2018, Fisher House held its annual holiday celebration, complete with Marine Veteran and volunteer Frank Faruggia dressed as Santa Claus. When Old Saint Nick learned of the couple’s situation, he let them know he was an ordained minister.
“They got married by Santa on Christmas Eve,” Holly exclaimed. “I even cut some [poinsettia] branches and made a bouquet for her!”
The Gresham, Clark and Ewing families came to Fisher House hoping for a comfortable and affordable place to stay while receiving health care, but, like many other guests, they found something more.
“Fisher House is a good place, and there aren’t many places like that anymore,” said Marshall. “You get there, and it’s like everyone becomes family. We’re more than friends. We call each other on the phone and see how you’re doing? When are you going back to Fisher House? It’s so much more than what you’d expect.”
“You feel like your home,” Maria said. “Because you are home.”
To learn more about Hines VA’s Fisher House, or to volunteer, call 708-202-7154.