BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — A Blue Springs veteran is facing a new battle here at home.
The airman took a military retirement after a back injury five years ago, and now a new health condition has him in the ICU.
Doria Moyers is a mom and proud military wife. Her husband, Chris, was already enlisted in the Air Force Reserves when they met. He’d gone on deployments to Qatar and England and several U.S. deployments with the Air Force Fire Department.
“It was very scary,” Moyers said.
During a stateside deployment, Chris suffered a devastating and life-altering injury.
“He was deployed in New York and fell carrying the jaws of life and kind of busted his back and had back surgery,” Doria said.
The damage was severe, he had to medically retire in 2014, and ultimately, Chris became a full-time parent to the couple’s two young daughters. But the scars and pain, physical and emotional, aren’t over.
“We kept thinking our nightmare’s going to end, our luck is going to turn around and it just got worse for him,” Doria said.
A month ago, Chris turned bright yellow, which is a symptom of liver failure.
“The doctors have told me a lot of his symptoms were masked from his back pain,” Doria said.
He’s now in the ICU at St. Luke’s. His daughters, ages 5 and 8, have decked out the room in beautiful artwork and family photos. Doria’s now taking time off from work as a Blue Springs teacher. She said support for the schools and community is giving them strength to keep fighting.
“You don`t realize how many people really care about you and love you until something happens and it’s like, ‘Whoa,'” Doria said.
Friends will soon host a Texas Hold `Em tournament with raffles, silent and live auction to help the young family.
“Not only are we friends, but Chris and I are fellow veterans and whenever a veteran is down, you always go and pick him up. You do everything you can for them and that’s why we’re here,” said friend Josh Lansdale, who is helping organize the benefit.
And it’s a reminder of the duty we all have to keep supporting veterans, long after they come home from service.
The benefit is planned for Dec. 7 at Side Pockets in Blue Springs. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., and the Texas Hold ‘Em game will begin at 7 p.m. There will also be a buffet, live and silent auction and raffles if you don’t play cards.
And if you can’t make it to the benefit and still want to support the Moyers family, you can do so here. Donations of Christmas gifts for the two Moyers girls can also be dropped off at Side Pockets through Dec. 7.
Chris is facing an uphill battle, with liver and kidney failure, and breathing trouble. Doctors are hoping to help get his strength up enough, that he’ll eventually be eligible for a liver transplant.