Soldier returns home from Afghanistan
with special gift for TAMC team
Photo courtesy of TAMC
ASHLEY PATTERSON, left, holding three-month-old daughter, Gracelyn, and her husband, U.S. Army Sgt. Kyle Patterson, present a U.S. flag he had flown at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan to members of the TAMC team who helped make it possible for him to be part of Gracelyn’s birth from thousands of miles away.
The flag was also flown in honor of, and presented to, members of the TAMC team who cared for Ashley and Gracelyn before and after the baby’s birth. Accepting the flag from the Patterson family are, from left, front row: Dr. Joyce Hebert, Ashley Estey, Sheri Johnston, Kristi Brooker, Michelle Postell, Vickie Belanger, Allyson Bell, Kathy Marston and Carole Olore. Back row: Dr. Richard Debowsky, Paula Michaud, Dr. Rachel Swartz, Glenna Blade, Paula Raymond, Tammy Beaulier-Fuller and Pamela Lilley.
PRESQUE ISLE — When 25-year-old U.S. Army Sgt. Kyle Patterson of Presque Isle returned to The County from his tour of duty in Afghanistan recently, he couldn’t wait to be reunited with his wife, Ashley, and hold his new baby girl, Gracelyn, for the first time.
It has been three months since Gracelyn’s birth — a most unique delivery that will never be forgotten by the young couple or the health care professionals at TAMC who were part of the special event. So memorable in fact, that after settling in with his family, the soldier’s next mission was to thank the TAMC family who made it possible for him to be present for his daughter’s birth, to the best extent possible, from thousands of miles away.
On March 29, through technology and tears of joy, Ashley, along with family members and a team of TAMC physicians and nurses in both the operating room and women’s and children’s unit, made sure Patterson was there when his daughter was brought into the world at 7:55 a.m.
Using an iPad and the Skype application from the moment Ashley was admitted, through the cesarean-section delivery in the operating room, Patterson never missed a beat.
“It was comforting to know she was in good hands. Everyone involved at TAMC did such a good job of telling me what was going on, as it was happening, and why it was happening. I cannot say enough about the team here,” said Patterson. “Ashley and I will be forever grateful. And when Gracelyn is old enough, we’ll certainly tell her about how Daddy was able to be there, from half a world away, when she came into the world thanks to the folks here at TAMC.”
Patterson, who works with the Army’s Military Police, had been present — in a one-dimensional way — at all of Ashley’s pre-natal appointments at TAMC. “Flat Kyle,” as the family dubbed a cardboard cutout image of him, also entered the hospital with Ashley when she was first admitted and was present in her patient room throughout her stay.
The Patterson family came to the hospital recently to express their gratitude and to present a special gift to the team of caregivers. They presented staff with a U.S. flag that Patterson had especially flown in their honor at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. The citation that came with the flag reads:
“So that all shall know, this flag was flown in the face of the enemy at Camp Sabalu-Harrison, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. It bears unwavering witness to the sacrifice and courage of the men and women fighting terrorist forces threatening the freedom of the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the World.”
According to Patterson, the efforts of the TAMC team went beyond just facilitating technology to make him a part of the miraculous event. In addition to their roles in the operating room, the entire team of providers worked to ensure that he would experience the next best thing to being physically present. Team members each introduced themselves to Patterson online.
“I decided to have a flag flown in honor of the men and women at TAMC who made this possible for us, because many people here fly the U.S. flag to show their support and appreciation for what soldiers do every day. I thought it would be a good idea to give one to TAMC to show how grateful we are,” said Patterson.
TAMC will, in turn, show its gratitude to Patterson and all serving their country by flying the special flag on the flagpole at its A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital in honor of all troops and veterans on the Fourth of July. The flag will then be placed on permanent display, along with the certificate, in a prominent location inside the hospital for all to see.
“Bringing a baby into the world is such a joyous event. We were all so pleased to be able to give Kyle a chance to see his first born daughter brought into the world from thousands of miles away. It was truly uplifting,” said Dr. Joyce Hebert, who, along with Dr. Rachel Swartz, led the team that delivered the baby. “To have the family come back and thank us in this most special way is heartwarming, and reminds all of us why we do what we do each day.”
