Amazing Dave

I’ve been thinking about how to give the dollar and Band-Aids from the Sonoma girl to someone without having someone else feel left out.  My opportunity came this morning, as the clinic, normally closed on the weekends, was going to open on a Saturday to see a young earthquake victim for a prosthetic adjustment, and this was the only day he could come.  As a child without others around, I thought that he would be a perfect recipient.

When I entered the clinic, I immediately recognized this little boy.  It was Dave, a boy whose story has been widely circulated.  Here is an early story about him, http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/heartbreak-and-reunion-on-the-usns-comfort-hospital-ship-1.101201, and here is one about his transfer to the USNS Comfort http://projecthopeinthefield.blogspot.com/2010/02/pediatrician-using-her-skills-in-haiti.html (scroll down).  Here is a later story, after his discharge from the ship: http://www.projecthope.org/news-blogs/stories/8-year-old-david-inspires-hope.html. 

Dave was 8 when the earthquake hit, killing his 3-year-old brother and trapping Dave for 3 days.  He lost his right arm below the elbow, his right leg above the knee, and part of his nose.  He sustained head injuries and severe lacerations.  He was treated on the Comfort, then sent to a children’s hospital in Port-au-Prince for rehabilitation with a prosthesis for his leg.  Later, Partners in Health arranged for him to go to Boston for continued therapy and reconstruction of his nose, and he returned to Haiti a few months ago.

Dave is an extremely energetic and active boy, and he had broken part of the strap suspension for his leg.  He had effected a fairly good fix on his own, but it was for a proper repair that he was brought to HAS.  The prosthetist from Hanger, a vivacious young woman called Charlie, took Dave back to the shop to work on the leg himself.  He helped hammer in the rivet needed for the repair.  Once he had his leg back on, he was all over the place, flying a paper airplane and having a good time.

Because of my familiarity with Dave’s situation, I was thrilled to give him the donation from the little girl in Sonoma.  His English is excellent, so I was able to speak to him directly.  I told him, “Children in America want to help children in Haiti.  One little girl wanted to send this kado (present) to a child in Haiti.  It is her very own dollar, and her band-aids, and they are for you.”  He shyly accepted them and agreed to pose for a photo before bounding off, ready to go back home.