Visiting the Severely Wounded at Palo Alto VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center

By David B. Hardt

Visiting the severely wounded at Palo Alto VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center

The sun is out on a beautiful day at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center in California. A young man out enjoying the weather is sitting having a conversation with another young man. These two men have something in common: Both served their country in combat, but their situations are vastly different.

Meet the 29-year-old. Five years ago he joined the Army because he wanted to get away and do something different. One day while dropping a friend off at college, he noticed a recruiting flyer for the Army. It wasn't long before he took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and soon thereafter enlisted. In October 2005 he deployed as a sergeant to Iraq with B Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 75th Field Artillery Brigade. During the four months while he was in Iraq he diligently worked as a truck driver transporting heavy equipment. Just like every soldier while deployed, he was looking forward to his leave. This leave was significant for Sgt. Comporato: He would be going home in January to see his newborn baby.

After spending quality time with his son, it was time to hang out with his brother. On Feb. 5, 2005 - three days before he would be making the trip back to Iraq - Sgt. Comporato attended a party with his brother.

"While at the party everything was great. We had a couple of drinks, and then after some time, we left," he said softly as he reminisced. "As we walked to the car we got jumped from behind. All I can remember is falling to the ground and my brother telling me to get up." Sgt Comporato paused before he continued. "I looked at my brother and told him, 'I can't, I can't.'"

Sgt. Comporato has been a quadriplegic since that fateful February night. He sits in his specially designed wheelchair with his hands strapped down to keep him in place. He sips water from a tube that is positioned in front of his face. While telling me his story, he asked politely if I would light a cigarette for him.

"I miss using my hands. I miss driving my car. At first, of course, when I arrived here I was depressed, and I often cried a lot, but after some time I just accepted it. The one thing that bothered me the most was I felt like I had let down the guys in my unit. I felt guilty as hell," he confided.

"Being a man, so independent, it was hard asking others around me for help." In the middle of the conversation he asked me: "Can you flick my (cigarette) butt?" He went on to share how it feels to be in his condition. "I just feel numb all over. I can't feel s***. I can barely shrug my shoulder and slightly move my other arm." Regardless of how he feels, his pride shines through. He talks about how some people don't take care of themselves and how he makes that a daily priority. "I am still trying to keep that standard," he said confidently.

Later on we made our way into his room where he showed me how he uses his computer and his phone as well as the pictures of his loved ones that he proudly displays on the refrigerator. Sgt. Comporato has adapted to his environment. Every day he is learning and setting goals for himself. "I should be able to get a job working on the computer from home," he said as he moved the cursor with a slight movement of his head. With a voice activated program he is able to use the Internet and type documents.

"The treatment here (at the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center) has been great," he said, "but also sometimes frustrating." However, he knows that in the coming months he will be leaving and making his way out into the real world. "I should be leaving here in two months, and that will be good. I will be working off a set amount of money. A big percentage of that will go to my around-the-clock care, but I will have an apartment of my own. I hope to have my son come see me. I won't lie to you; some days I feel like s***, but hey, I am alive and breathing."

Sgt. Comporato may not have been injured in Iraq, but he is still a warrior who now fights on a different battlefield. He will not concede or complain because as he said positively, "What is that really going to do for the situation?" After the interview was complete, he smiled and thanked me for telling his story. I thanked him for taking time, opening up and sharing his story with the country. For a man who will probably be in a chair for the rest of his life, he showed a warrior spirit that is unbridled.

Next week Part Two: The story of Staff Sgt. Jay Wilkerson, who suffers from a TBI injury he incurred in an ambush in Baghdad, Iraq.