We got to see Nathaniel Leoncio (Doc Leo) yesterday!!!!!! Pictures attached!

[cookieintern]

We finally got down to BAMC!! Here are the photos from our visit,
we had a WONDERFUL time, the children kept thanking me for taking them down there...

Doc Leo's parents are just dear, and were such terrific host and hostess to us! We gave Doc Leo a Christmas stocking full of treats, some homemade cookies and a remote control car to race up and down the halls. The children sang a Christmas song for everyone...

Doc was between PT appointments and was bright and cheerful! His eyes smiles when his mouth does, it's beautiful! He was wonderful with the children and so fun to talk to. He goes home to CA om 12/23 for two weeks (Christmas leave) then back to Powless @ BAMC for more therapy and then surgery in Feb. His parents have been away from their home (and their 15 year old son) for three months straight and are looking forward to the 23rd! They will come back in Feb for his surgery.

Doc talked with us about his injuries like they were no big deal, and showed the children his temporary abdomen wall (grafted from his left thigh). It's amazing how cheerful he is with all that he's been through and what he faces. His mom told me he wants to go back over to Iraq and get back to active duty, that he wants to keep practicing medicine and make a difference (look at the difference he's made already!). What an exceptional young man!! THANK YOU DEAR LORD, for Doc Leo!! We are so privileged to have met him and his dear parents. We can't wait to see then again!!!

We visited with them at the Powless Guest House and then they took us over to the hospital and we got to meet two wonderful soldiers, pass out more cookies and Christmas treats, then left the extras in the burn ward and the amputee rehab center...

On our way out, we stopped by Fisher House, met Inge (the wonderful lady that runs the place) and left treats there...

Everyone was so gracious and kind -

It was an AWESOME, AWESOME DAY!!!!!!

Texas-sized CHRISTmas hugs for you all,

Coneen and crew
Alexandra, Robert, Ivy, Fallon, Ivy, Audra and Cadence

[Osotogary]

Priceless. Thanks for the wonderful photos.

[GySgtRet]

cookieintern,

Thank you so much for what you have done. I was beginning to think that people had forgotten Doc Leo. He is an amazing young man with more on his plate than most people could ever dream about.

[cookieintern]

Thank YOU for your kind words, Ed! It seems though, from what his mom said, that he gets LOTS of mail and has had many visitors. Soldiers Angels (the org the kids and I are so involved in, gave him a laptop!) Now, I am of the opinion that when "some" is good, "more" is better (woooo hoooo!) so I hope that the mail and vistors keep coming!! Did you guys know that the corpsman (medic) who took Doc Leo's place lost both of his legs in a similar incident, only in this one, i think 5 or 6 of the guys were severly wounded and are at Bethesda now... if we can all just do a little - and pray, pray pray...

Coneen

[GySgtRet]

cookieintern,

I had heard some news but no names. It is a bad place to be in Iraq. But I think that the end will justify what is going on now. Do you happen to know any names? I will try and stir things up again here around Bethesda, and around this general area. Do you happen to know any names of the wounded now at Bethesda? I had heard that the replacements for LCpl Seeley and Doc had been wounded but no other news.

[ringoffire]

cookieintern,

Thank you so much for an update and the pictures, Doc Leo looks in good spirits.
I know somewhere there is an address for him, but maybe you could post it again.
Thanks,
Tina

[Osotogary]

I think that Doc Leo's address may be under one of LCpl Seeley's threads but I am not quite sure. I'll check.

[Osotogary]

Courtesy of GySgtRet. (11/05)

HM3 (FMF) NATHANIEL R. LEONCIO
BAMC - PATTeam
BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER
3851 ROGER BROOKE DRIVE, BLDG 3600
FORT SAM HOUSTON, TX 78234-6200

Phone Number: (210) 916-1949 He is in Room 455.

[captken]

cookieintern,
Well now you really messed up! I have to go into a meeting in a few minutes and after reading your beautiful letter I have to get my emotions under control.

Thank you...thank you many times over to you and your wonderful kids. I'm sitting here listening to Christmas music in my office and am thrilled to realize that His spirit lives on in people like you.

GySgtRet, looks like you and I gotta get hot on those kids that are from Docs unit that are here in Bethesda.

Dang...where's my Kleenex...I gotta look semi-professional at this meeting!

[rb1651]

Thanks so much for the update and pics. My family and I have sent a couple of cards and letters. More will be on the way. More prayers on the way to Bethesda. GySgtRet and capken, let us know if you locate any of the Marines and the Devil Doc.

Ron

[yellowwing]

he wants to go back over to Iraq and get back to active duty, that he wants to keep practicing medicine and make a difference (look at the difference he's made already!). What an exceptional young man!!

Yessir captken, that one really got to me also!

I am glad that this Devil Doc is doing well and is not forgotten. Who could forget such determination, motivation, and character!

[rsta]

Great post! Coneen, you and your family really did a great thing. Thanks for the photos, Doc's looking good. Where do we get such fine men?

Semper Fi!

Bob

[ringoffire]

Thanks for posting that address again!!

[captken]

I've been thinking about what GySgtRet started and how a seemingly small act has grown into something wonderful that has affected many lives. And I don't think the end is in sight. It made me think of something I wrote a while back for a Christmas narration. If you'll permit me I'll post it here. Somehow what cookieintern has done brings this to mind...


We live in a world filled with wars and rumors of war. The words of Longfellow’s I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day seem to be prophetic… “There is no peace on earth, I said, for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men.”

Surely if we are to have peace on earth this Christmas it will take a miracle. But miracles do happen as illustrated by the following true story.

It was New Year’s Eve 2002 in a ballroom in downtown Washington, D.C. A group of young adults were having their New Year’s Eve ball. The ladies were beautiful with dresses, hair and makeup done to perfection. The gentlemen all looked their best as well.

The ballroom rapidly filled. In the crowd was a young lady who came in a wheelchair. Early in the evening she seemed to have plenty of friends with her. But…predictably, as the evening wore on the number of friends around her wheelchair thinned as more and more couples spent time dancing. It would take nothing short of a miracle to keep her from spending the rest of the night alone in her wheelchair.

But that night the miracle did happen. It took the form of a tall young man in the dress blue uniform of a United States Marine. He walked over to the young lady in the wheelchair …bent down, scooped her up in his arms and carried her out onto the dance floor where they proceeded to dance…he holding her and she with her arms around his neck.

A miracle needed…a miracle made. Made by an ordinary person doing an extra-ordinary act of kindness.

To help us bring the miracle of peace to others this Christmas we have the counsel found in the famous prayer for peace of St. Francis of Assisi.

“Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hate, may I bring love;
Where offense, may I bring pardon; …
Faith, where once there was doubt;
Hope, for despair;
Light, where was darkness;
Joy to replace sadness.”

If we are to have the miracle of peace on earth this Christmas then we must take the first step…
“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
------
I apologize for taking up some much space with this but all these posts remind me that you folks aren't waiting for miracles to happen. You're making them happen. BTW, my wife and I were chaparoning that dance and witnessed the whole thing. It will never be forgotten by either one of us.

So thanks to GySgtRet and the rest of you for not waiting around for a miracle to just happen.

Merry Christmas Marines!

[MillRatUSMC]

Now you all did it!
I seem to have a light mist around my eyes, and I'm wondering;
"Where do we get men such as this?"
It been asked but one only has to look to Doc Leo to see where we get men such as this...

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo