Disabled veteran gets an unexpected trip home for Thanksgiving — PHOTOS
The Christensen family already knew this Thanksgiving was going to be different.
Chris and Carol Christensen’s son and grandkids were all driving in from Arizona with their families. Everyone was planning to eat at a Las Vegas buffet, then visit the Christensens’ daughter, Linda Bennett, at the Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City.
That’s where the Air Force veteran has lived for the past seven months, since a fall made her a quadriplegic. She has no use of her legs and only limited use of her hands.
But instead of everyone going to see her, Bennett came home for the holiday.
Thanks to a free ride from an ambulance company, she spent the day surrounded by family, with the Macy’s parade and football on TV and a turkey in the oven.
Aside from doctor’s visits, it was the first time Bennett has been out since moving to the veterans home.
A little before 10 a.m. Thursday, a two-man crew from Community Ambulance brought Bennett from her room.
“I’m ready to go home,” she said with a grin as Anthony Chiodini and Adrian Zitzmann wheeled her stretcher down the hallway a few minutes later.
All day, she couldn’t get that smile off her face.
“I’ve been in many ambulances,” she said when they loaded her in theirs. “This is nice!”
Dennis Nolan, the director of business development for Community Ambulance, said the company gives such rides about six times a year, not solely for veterans. They’re mostly at Thanksgiving and Christmas — the program is called “Home for the Holidays” — though they once took a man home to celebrate his 100th birthday.
About 20 miles north of the veterans home, at the Christensens’ condo off East Flamingo Road, her family had gathered on the sidewalk to welcome her.
Her son, Joseph Bennett, gave her a hug and a kiss before she was wheeled inside.
With some help from relatives, Chiodini and Zitzmann lifted Bennett onto a sofa bed in the living room and sat her up, putting pillows behind her to make her more comfortable. Her mom, Carol, applied some lipstick.
After Bennett got settled and chatted with everyone, her mom asked if she was hungry.
“No, I’m just too excited,” she said.
Later, her mom brought her some water and held it up as she took a sip.
Bennett, who is in her late 50s, moved to Las Vegas to be near her parents after her accident at her home in Arizona last January. Carol and Chris Christensen visit their daughter at the veterans home three times a week.
Air Force service is a tradition in the family. Bennett served from 1984 to 1994, and her dad, brother, son and daughter-in law all served too. Her son, Joseph, and his wife, Haley Bennett, are now in the Air National Guard.
It was only about a week ago that the ambulance company and veterans home told the family about Linda’s trip.
“All of a sudden, it was like, ‘I’m coming home!’ ” she recalled.
And there was another reason to celebrate Thursday: Bennett’s birthday was Wednesday, and she still had presents to open, her sister-in-law Desiree Christensen reminded her.
By this time it was late morning, and dinner was in the oven, including “the biggest turkey they had,” as Linda’s brother Dale Christensen put it.
Green bean casserole, corn and other staples were also on the menu, along with “holiday bread” that may or may not have come from Panera.
The circumstances weren’t what anyone expected a year ago. But all in all, Carol Christensen said, it might have turned into the family’s best Thanksgiving ever.
Contact Eric Hartley at ehartley@reviewjournal.com or 702-550-9229. Find him on Twitter: @ethartley