Health

Deploying Guard Dad Gets To See Baby's 1st Steps

(WCCO) Minnesota's military families give us so much, and they give up so many sweet moments at home when duty calls. But thanks to an extra push from some Twin Cities doctors, Capt. Rich Brummond didn't miss seeing a big moment for his only son.

"It's the first steps," said Brummond. "It's what every parent [wants] you know, it's a milestone every parent wants to be there for."

Brummond is with the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade out of St. Paul, a National Guard Unit being deployed to Iraq.

Hi son, Eli, has fibular hemimelia, a condition in which a bone in his lower leg and part of his foot were missing at birth.

Surgery prepared Eli for a prosthetic replacement, and once Eli seemed ready to run, doctors at Gillette Children's Hospital were eager to help him.

"He'll adapt very well," said Dr. Mark Gormley, Jr. a Pediatric Rehabilitation Specialist. "He'll be able to play sports. He'll be able to go to school. He'll be able to have a family. He'll be able to do all the things that he really wants to do."

To get Eli's prosthetic leg ready would normally take three or more weeks, but because of Brummond's pending deployment date, Gillette's prosthetics lab kicked into high gear. It had Eli's leg ready in just one week.

Brummond's wife Corrine wept at the effort to make sure Eli's dad did not miss the big day.

"Well, nobody wants dad to miss anything in the next year. But knowing that he's going to and that's just the way it has to be it's a big deal he can be here for as much of this as he can," said Corrine Brummond.

"And for him to see the reward of going through the surgery and being there for all of that rough time. But then to be able to see the end of the process is a big deal," she said.

Rich Brummond said words can't express his appreciation to the hospital's efforts.

"You know we looked at the calendar and it were looking like I'm not gonna be here when that happens. That was a devastating moment. So to be here for that is pretty fantastic," he said.

Eli was toddling at the airport for his father on Tuesday when Brummond flew out. His family hopes his guard unit comes home from Iraq sometime next summer.

Eli just turned one years old and his new leg will be updated every few months to keep up with his growth.

 

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