‘A saving grace’

Veteran who suffered brain injury receives minivan as gift

Retired Army Spc. Thomas Travis, his wife, Bethany, and their three young daughters no longer will have to make the weekly drive from Eustis to the Tampa veterans hospital for appointments in a car without air conditioning.

The 30-year-old former military police officer suffered a traumatic brain injury during a 2009 deployment in Baghdad, Iraq, when a grenade pierced his Humvee while on patrol with his unit.

This week, the Travis family received a 2015 Chrysler Town & Country minivan at a Mount Dora dealership as a gift from U.S. Bank and a Virginia-based nonprofit, Freedom Alliance.

The minivan is a blessing for the Travis family but especially for Bethany, the primary caregiver who drives Thomas and their children — Ella, 6; LeighAnn, 4; Norah, 1 — to therapy appointments four days a week. Their two oldest daughters have special needs and Bethany also has temporary custody of her nephews, 6-year-old Beau and 3-year-old Levi.

“It’s been so hard,” said Bethany Travis, her voice breaking. “And they’re troupers — they have their little fans and we try to do the best we can but it’s just been miserable.”

Since the attack, which killed one of his friends, Thomas Travis was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and copes with the help of his loyal golden retriever service dog, Sty.

But the effects of his traumatic brain injury have worsened over the years and are now causing “daily disturbances,” Bethany Travis said.

“Before, he was hoping to go to school and now he can’t cook for himself or clean for himself,” she said. “It affects every aspect of our life.”

The two have been fighting for years for Thomas to be awarded a Purple Heart. Recipients receive higher priority access to medical care and relief from copayments for VA medical treatment or hospitalization. Thomas receives a monthly disability check from the VA.

Despite their struggles, the family is focused on making happy memories and appreciating the generosity of strangers, Bethany Travis said. One of those happy memories occurred in 2015, when a Eustis woman donated her three-bedroom home to the military family mortgage free. It was renovated with the help of the Lifetime TV show "Designing Spaces Military Makeover.”

The addition of the minivan, which comes with a DVD player, will provide extra space and help entertain the five children during their frequent lengthy road trips.

“It’s going to bring me so much peace of mind because the fighting will be less,” Bethany Travis said. “It is our saving grace.”