Letter from Mom  ( LaDonna) ,  Christopher is my son. He joined the Navy right out of high school before his 18th birthday. He served six years in the military, with the last 3 in San Diego CA.  He traveled overseas on the decks of many of the aircraft carriers where he served as line captain. Being a line captain and out on the deck he saw things that you and I as civilians will never see. He observed other teammates throwing themselves overboard as a way of trying to commit suicide, He saw many friends get their legs snapped off from the bungy cords that catch the jets coming in for a landing on the ship, he saw his first supervior get decapitated by a helicoptor ready to take off.  When the Tsunami hit in Indonesia his ship the USS Lincoln was the first to arrive. Christopher was put on rescue mission to retrieve bodies from the ocean, dead or alive. Many of course were dead, from children to adults. Because there were so many dead bodies, he carried the bodies to a makeshift grave sight where they were burned. He still smells the stinch to this day. when Katrina hit he was directed again to another rescue mission where he had to pluck people off their rooftops to a hoovering helicoptor. One particular man did not want to leave his home although it was 3/4 of the way under water. christopher was trained on how to assist people who resisted being rescued. This particular man fought him all the way, half way up to the helicoptor he was able to somehow release the two of them from the line and they both came crashing back down on the house. christopher suffered multiple injuries but the worst being a broken leg. chris was immediately taken to Navy's sick bay. his last year with the Navy was trying to recover from his injuries. He originally had enlisted for only 5 years but due to his injuries he served 6 years.He returned home to Wichita KS back in June of 2007 at the age of 24. Since his arrival back home, he's had a hard time trying to back into daily life, with a few jobs here and there lasting only a couple weeks. As his parent I didnt know how to help. He had gone through more in 6 years than I had gone through in 25 years. We let him just kind of "get by" and thought "when he's ready , he'll get involved." Its been two years. I couldnt stand by anymore. I helped him put a resume together, We looked in the paper every Sunday fopr jobs, His aunt drove him around to put out applications and go to job interviews, my husband taook him driving and at the age of 25 (almost 26) he just got his first drivers license. This in itsef was an accomplishment for him becuase he never drove, never had to. And he was very proud. After a few months of being discouraged (although he continued on, with my help) He recently found a job that he enjoys and has been at it now for almost a month. He is back in the game of life.  I am hoping you can help him with a car to drive back and forth to work. Currently he depends on his younger brother to take him to work in the morning and he depends on me to pick him up. He is trying to save for a car but what we thought may take a couple months to save is now going to turn into several months.  I know it would make him feel even more proud than he did when he received his drivers license a couple months ago. It would make him feel like a part of society.  Since the age of 17 and in the Navy he has served others, . And I know it would change his way of thinking if someone helped him when HE really needed it.   Thank-you.