Clemie and Rosiland Roberts have stayed at the Palo Alto Fisher House a few times. Their first stay lasted five weeks while Clemie, a Vietnam veteran, underwent unexpected spinal surgery. The most recent stay was in April 2024, after Clemie experienced severe pain and immobility just a week after a pain management procedure. Transported from home by ambulance to David Grant Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base, he was discharged after four days. However, his condition worsened at home, and Rosiland decided to seek immediate treatment after finding him unable to get out of bed. With the help of a home aide to get him to the car, she drove him two and a half hours from their home in Vallejo, California, to Palo Alto Emergency Care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was in excruciating pain\u2014he couldn\u2019t feed himself, dress himself, or even move,\u201d Rosiland shared. \u201cThe Fisher House was a lifesaver. During our first stay, when he suddenly couldn\u2019t walk and required emergency spine surgery, the Palo Alto VA placed me at Fisher House so I could stay close to him during his surgery and rehabilitation. It was a long and difficult journey. The most recent stay at Fisher House involved my husband undergoing six weeks of antibiotics, follow-up MRIs, and excruciating physical therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her time at Fisher House, Rosiland reflected on the strength of the other families she met. She heard stories of a mother caring for her son, who had recently earned his pilot\u2019s license but was struck by a drunk driver, and a family from Hawaii supporting a service member paralyzed after a fall. <\/p>\n\n\n \u201cI thought, \u2018Who am I to complain? I\u2019ve only been here four weeks,\u2019\u201d Rosiland said. \u201cAll these families were experiencing such pain, yet we were all sharing our stories and supporting one another.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clemie echoed her sentiments, praising the Fisher House staff and the therapeutic atmosphere they created. \u201cIt\u2019s a place where military families can find relief from financial burdens while staying in a beautiful facility,\u201d Clemie said. \u201cSharing stories with other veterans and their families was incredibly healing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clemie\u2019s military career spans decades. Drafted into the Army, he trained at Fort Ord, California, and Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona before serving as a crew chief on 01 Surveillance aircraft with the 74th Reconnaissance Company in Vietnam. He logged over 700 combat flight hours. After two years in Vietnam, Clemie continued serving for 14 years in the Naval Air Reserve, flying in P2 Neptunes and P3 Orions serving as a ground plane captain and crew leader on anti-submarine missions. In 1984, Clemie left the military and continued serving as firefighter on Ventura County Fire Department. After his retirement, he met and married Rosiland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Fisher House, Clemie bonded with WWII veteran David Perez, whose story was featured in The Patriot <\/i>Magazine. David\u2019s daughter, Felicia, stayed at Fisher House while her father received care. \u201cIt was incredible to see two generations\u2014World War II and Vietnam veterans\u2014connecting and sharing experiences,\u201d Rosiland said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clemie recalled how David\u2019s presence inspired him. \u201cHe was 104 years old and as sharp as ever,\u201d Clemie said. \u201cSeeing him standing and walking gave me hope. If he could do it, so could I.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rosiland found solace in the support of other Fisher House guests, especially during their mealtime conversations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe shared our stories, supported one another, and exchanged advice,\u201d she said. \u201cI learned so much\u2014from needing a wheelchair ramp to resources like a chair lift. These were things I never thought about before, but the other families helped me prepare for our new reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The generosity of volunteers also left a lasting impression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe companies that showed up and provided us with dinners on occasion did so exceptionally well,\u201d Rosiland said. \u201cAs Clemie grew stronger, I would sometimes bring him over to the house for meals. It meant so much to him to know I was cared for, and it lifted his spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Clemie, the proximity of Fisher House to the hospital was invaluable. \u201cIt was less than 100 yards away,\u201d he said. \u201cRosiland could easily walk back and forth, and that peace of mind was everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Clemie and Rosiland expressed deep gratitude for their Fisher House experience, especially considering how Vietnam veterans were treated upon returning home. \u201cToday, he finally feels appreciated for his service,\u201d Rosiland said. \u201cWe\u2019re so thankful to Zachary, Elizabeth, and everyone who makes this possible for veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStaying at Fisher House was an unexpected gift,\u201d Clemie concluded. \u201cThe staff\u2014Tracy, and everyone\u2014treated my wife with so much love and respect. We will be forever grateful for what they gave us.\u201d And we know our outcome would have been much more difficult without the Fisher House. It was truly a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":110089,"menu_order":0,"template":"single-native-legacy","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"11"},"advertiser":[3455],"class_list":["post-79668","native","type-native","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","advertiser-fisher-house-foundation"],"acf":{"subheadline":"By Michelle Horn","legacy_arc_id":"TPNDV5BDGZGOFH7QLGWJZWNFXU","arc_canonical_url":"\/native\/fisher-house-foundation\/2025\/10\/01\/vietnam-vet-and-wife-receive-long-overdue-respect-and-comfort\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"native-layout","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n