On Saturday May 29, 2004, Army Major H. Timothy Vakoc, a Roman Catholic Priest, was returning from saying Mass for soldiers in Iraq when his humvee was struck by an IED (improvised explosive device) and he sustained a severe brain injury.

He was treated in Germany, and Walter Reed for several months then transferred to the VA Hospital in Minneapolis where he lay in a coma for 6 months. Miraculously, in the late spring of 2005 he began showing signs of improvement.

Dr Michael Wagner, Director of Family services at Walter Reed was contacted and thru the assistance of the Yellow Ribbon Fund a special computer was donated to help Father Tim communicate with the world.

By coincidence, Teresa and Missy were working the Troop Transport flight that took Father Tim and his Army Striker Unit from the US to Kuwait (photo on right above is Father Tim standing to the right of Teresa onboard during the trip).

Above: A flag signed by Father Tim and his unit, along with photographs which were taken on the trip were given to him on June 1, 2005. Each was held tightly, he knew what he was holding. It will take some time for Father Tim to learn to work the computer, but he has come a long way for not being able to communicate for a year. His first message to us was TIM 4F (the military code for unfit for duty) and then OK.