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Red Cross Message Unites Army Sergeant with Newborn Twins
Written by
Mason Booth
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Thursday, March 20, 2003 — On Jan. 7, 2003, United States Army Staff Sergeant Robin DeFoor was on 24-hour watch guard duty patrolling a demilitarized region of South Korea. Constantly on alert for developing crises in the rural post, Sgt. DeFoor was unaware that an emergency was taking place thousands of miles away in his New York home. His wife, Frances, had gone into labor seven weeks early and the size of his family was about to double.
The DeFoor family, Robin and Frances with their newborn twins, Douglas and Deanna.
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“All of a sudden this car came crashing through the woods, and an officer jumped out with a cell phone,” said Sgt. DeFoor. “Frances was on the other line and she told me that we had two healthy babies - a boy and a girl.”
The military soon began working on getting Sgt. DeFoor home to see his children. He arrived at the hospital just in time to take his newborn twins Douglas and Deanna home for the very first time.
Every day, around the world, the American Red Cross is there for the men and women of the military and their families. Part of its Armed Forces Emergency Services, the organization’s emergency communications program provides a means for separated military families to connect in times of somber events such as death or illness and during joyous occasions such as births.
How Red Cross Emergency Communications Work
The notification process begins and ends with the more than 1,000 Red Cross chapters located across the nation.
“When an emergency communication needs to be sent, military families contact their local chapter and we facilitate the delivery of the message to their loved one’s commanding officer,” said Mark Jurnove, Armed Forces Emergency Services caseworker for the Nassau County Chapter, which handled the communication delivery for the DeFoor family.
The chapter was first notified by Sgt. DeFoor’s mother, who called the chapter while Frances was in the delivery room.
“She was a little frazzled when she called - and for good reason,” Jurnove laughed. “She told me Sgt. DeFoor’s name, but wasn’t sure where he was serving. Then the doctors told her that the twins had been born, and she hung up without telling me what hospital they were in!”
Army Staff Sergeant Robin DeFoor was back in New York in time to bring his newborns home and help Frances adjust to the hectic responsibility of caring for twins.
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For the next hour, Jurnove called hospitals in the Nassau County region, trying to locate the family. Finally, he found them.
“I got the hospital name, and called the AFES operations center in Virginia. They tracked down Sgt. DeFoor’s base within a half an hour and contacted his commanding officer,” he explained.
Once the base was notified of the emergency communication, the message was passed down the military chain of command, finally ending when the cell phone reached Sgt. DeFloor’s hand.
“He was in the middle of nowhere when our children were born, but the Red Cross managed to get word to him within just a few hours,” said Frances DeFoor.
Services Go Beyond Communication
With more than 250,000 military men and women deployed in the Persian Gulf area, the Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services are needed now more than ever.
“We have a large community of reservists in our region, who are being pulled from their full-time jobs and families and sent to possible war” said James Green, director of public relations for the chapter. “This is a major life change and very emotional, so our community relies on us as they deal with the shock of having their loved ones gone for a long time when they're so accustomed to having them here. Our assistance may involve financial assistance, counseling and other services, in addition to emergency communication.”
The Red Cross assistance for the DeFoor family didn’t stop at the birth notification. Upon Sgt. DeFoor’s return, the local Red Cross/Nassau high School Youth Club hosted a homecoming celebration and two month birthday party for the family on March 7.
“The chapter was almost as excited as we were, and that was really something for us,” said Frances. “When Robin’s grandfather died last year, the Red Cross notified him and helped him get home in time for the funeral, which meant a lot to our whole family. This time, though, it is a much happier occasion. Even though Robin returns to his base on March 17th, at least he was here to help when the twins came home. They are our first children - and quite a handful!”
You can support U.S. military members and their families through the American Red Cross as we provide assistance and comfort. Your gift will support the nationally coordinated Red Cross services provided to military families across the country and to American service men and women located throughout the world. Please make a financial donation to Armed Forces Emergency Services by calling 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions may be sent to the American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services, P. O. Box 91820, Washington, DC 20090. Secure online credit card donations can be made by visiting www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html.
The American Red Cross is not a government agency. We rely on the assistance of caring supporters like you to deliver our critical services. You can support U.S. military members and their families through the American Red Cross as we provide assistance and comfort. Your gift will support the nationally coordinated Red Cross services provided to military families across the country and to American service men and women located throughout the world. Please make a financial donation to Service to Armed Forces by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions may be sent to the American Red Cross Service to Armed Forces, P.O. Box 91820, Washington, DC 20090. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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