- Where: Club Aqua
7942 Arcadia Drive
Citrus Heights, Ca 95610
- When: Saturday Night, December 9th. The event starts at 7:30pm. $10 at the door, with every cent raised going to Jeff's family
- Performing will be Aaron Tippin.
- Who: Jeff Landay's lead commander, LtCol Lonney is flying in to present Jeff with the Purple Heart Award .
- What: Read Jeff's story below.
- Why: To honor Jeff, and benefit his family.
- Donations: "The Corporal Landay Account" is at Bank of America use account number 2554842513.
- Raffle: Click here for details.
- Location of Club Aqua: 7942 Arcadia Drive - One Block North of the Sunrise-Greenback Intersection. If traveling north on Sunrise, turn right at the light after Greenback, which is Arcadia. Club Aqua will be on your immediate right about 50 yards up the road.
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Here is the story, and original e-mail sent to Pat and Tom by Jeff's mom, Michelle Landay
Dear Pat and Tom:
My son, Jeff Landay, joined the Marines, just out of high school at the age of 17. He turned 18 in boot camp.
On January 6th of this year, Jeff and the rest of the 3/5 from Pendleton deployed to Iraq.
Jeff was the lead driver of the command platoon. Lt. Jensen, SgtMjr Kufchek, Cpl "Cheeks" Ramirez, and LCpl Bowie, were in Jeff's humvee. On may 21st, they left Camp Fallujah on a routine patrol. They had just crossed a bridge when they encountered a "routine" IED (improvised explosive device) with minimal damage and they continued their patrol.
Because of the earlier IED, Lt Jensen chose to return to camp on an alternate route. They came upon some debris in the middle of the road.
They could not go to the right because of some garbage bags, so Jeff went left. An IED was triggered and the humvee blew up and then veered off the road, traveling approximately 50 yards into a field. The rest of the platoon waited a few minutes when the break lights flashed and the vehicle turned around and headed back to the road with only three tires (the driver front tire was blown off). The humvee came to a halt when it hit some ruts right before the road. The platoon again waited for some response, but none came.
The passenger side of the vehicle was untouched so they had no idea how, if at all, bad it was. LtCol Looney ordered everyone to rush to their aid.
Cheeks Ramirez was the gunner of the vehicle and was the first to get aid. Corpsman Rodriguez (Doc Rod) assessed him, but Cheeks was already dead. Doc Rod then began aid to Lt Jensen when the others started yelling at him from the other side of the vehicle. They had pulled my son, Jeff, out and he was not breathing. Doc Rod began CPR. He was able to revive Jeff, and got him and the remaining injured safely to the hospital. I was notified the next day and told Jeff would probably not make it. Jeff was taken to a hospital in Baghdad, then to Germany. Arrangements were made for me to fly to Germany. At the last minute I was informed Jeff would probably make it to Bethesda Naval Hospital and I flew there instead . Jeff was in a coma for nearly a month. He suffered a traumatic brain injury in which they had to remove the left side of his skull. Jeff also took shrapnel to his shoulder, and a wound that force doctors to rebuild his jaw.
We were flown to Palo Alto VA Hospital at the end of June and that's where we spent the next three months. On September 28th we returned to Bethesda Naval Hospital where Dr. Armanda reconstructed Jeff's head. Within 10 days Jeff had made a remarkable improvement. He then underwent a second surgery which he is now three weeks out.
Jeff's speech continue to improve, but it is slow progress. He basically needs to learn how to pronounce words again. It is very humiliating for him.
There have been many, many people who have offered prayers thought Jeff's ordeal.
We would like to throw a welcome home party for Jeff and invite the community so we can thank them and share the experience of Jeff receiving his Purple Heart by LtCol Looney. We will also invite the rest of the 3/5 so we can honor them as well.
During this period of time, I lost my job. My employer tried to keep my job administratively open for as long as they could, but it was inevitable. We are not only missing my income but I carried the family medical coverage as well. I have been told that Jeff's injury may take up to five years to recover. My husband's employer also decided to "reorganize" his business, and so he is out of work as well. It is EXTREMELY difficult for us to ask for help, but with these circumstances, it is impossible not to.
I've been listening to your radio show for years. Your are wonderful to listen to. I know how patriotic you are and I have always appreciated the stories you share with your listeners. I never thought we would be on of your stories!
I thank you both for your willingness to help. We do not have any time constraints other than it needs to be a Saturday for Col Looney. I just hope it's big enough for everyone who wants to share Jeff's Purple Heart award.
Bless you both. Much love.
Michelle
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