Buying a home for Jay

MANASSAS  PARK, Va. - A mother’s touch.

A father’s care.

A sister’s pride.

The Briseno family of Manassas Park say they cannot do enough for the severely wounded warrior they call their son, their brother, their hero.

Army Reservist Spc. Jay Briseno was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003 when he was just 20.

The shooting shattered his spinal cord, and subsequent cardiac arrests left Jay with severe brain damage. He is unable to see, walk or talk. A feeding tube provides him with nutrition while a ventilator breathes for him.

Jay was initially flown to Kuwait after he was shot, then to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany. He was then transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, then to Hunter Holmes McGuire.

“The first two years, we spent most of our time at the hospital,” said Jay’s father, Joseph Briseno, Sr., who is a retired soldier.

Jay returned to the family’s multi-level home in December of 2003, where his parents have taken on the responsibility of caring for their son – assisting him with physical, occupational and speech therapy, and handling wound care.

“At night, every two or three hours, we turn him left to right,” explained Joseph.

According to one of Jay’s physicians, most patients in his condition could not live at home. But his parents say they cannot imagine leaving the intense care needs of their son to anyone else.

Before they brought Jay home eight years ago, a non-profit organization renovated their basement and supplied a back-up generator that ensures an uninterrupted power supply to the medical equipment that helps keep Jay alive.

But, his parents say having Jay in the basement kept him too isolated from the rest of the family. He does better when he is frequently touched and is able to hear the voices of his loved ones and others who visit. So they moved him upstairs, turning their dining room into his bedroom.

But that situation is not ideal, and Azalea Charities and the Quality of Life Foundation have stepped in and will soon begin an effort to build a new home that is accessible for Jay that will include an accessible bathroom for easy bathing; wider doorways and hallways for easier movement; a master suite with enough space for Jay’s medical equipment; and a second master suite for Joseph and Eva that is next to Jay’s room. Azalea Charities has pledged to raise at least $100,000 toward the effort that will accommodate both Jay’s needs and his parents’ needs as his caregivers.

“We’re alerting the community that a major fundraising effort will take place that will involve the community and local businesses and organizations,” said Frank Lasch, founder of Azalea Charities, who serves as chairman of the board, said the effort will be done in an unhurried manner.

“We want to do this right,” he said.

For more information on how you can help, visit www.azaleacharities.org or www.qolfoundation.org.