Saving Jack Thompson: A Test of Military Family Resilience

For many military families, life is a constant balancing act of managing responsibilities on the home front while a loved one serves far away. Sandy Thompson knows this all too well. As the wife of Timothy, a dedicated Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician with the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), Sandy has been the pillar holding their family together near Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, during Timothy’s constant deployments. 

As a couple, Sandy and Timothy have also been stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and Camp Pendleton, California. Timothy has been deployed in many other places, including parts of Africa. Needless to say, they’re seasoned at adjusting and adapting to new life situations, including welcoming their first child, Liam, into the world. But their can-do spirit was put to the ultimate test when their second son, Jack, was born.

Welcoming a New Child With a Host of Medical Complications

Jack came into the world with VACTERL Association, or Vater’s Syndrome. It’s a rare and complex congenital combination of malformations in multiple parts of an infant’s body. In Jack’s case, these included — among other conditions — congenital scoliosis (malformed spine) esophageal fistula, and duodenal atresia (anatomically blocked intestine), the latter two required surgeries soon after birth. 

At just four days old, he had surgery to properly connect his esophagus with his stomach. Six days later, he had another to connect his stomach to his small intestine. Sandy and Tim took turns staying with Jack in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for 24 days while he recovered. It was important to them that he was never without a parent nearby. 

“The surgeries were terrifying,” Sandy admits. “But we were fortunate to have great doctors who guided us through it.” 

Complications From Treatment

Although the NICU medical team was able to provide excellent care, all that time Jack had to spend on his back hooked up to medical equipment caused torticollis (twisted musculature in the neck) and a flat spot on the back of his head. These conditions require cranial orthosis, or the reshaping of an infant’s skull through the use of a custom-fitted helmet, to correct. Jack was diagnosed as needing this helmet molding therapy at five months old — a treatment that can only be done before an infant’s first birthday. The clock was ticking.

Health Insurance Claim Denial

The problem? TRICARE, the government health care program for military service members, only covers the cost of cranial remolding therapy if it’s caused by craniosynostosis, if the child has already had surgery for this, and if the surgery is unsuccessful. Consequently, Sandy and Timothy’s insurance deemed the helmet "non-essential," leaving them to cover the cost themselves — on top of all their other mounting costs of traveling daily to the NICU in Wilmington, NC, from Jacksonville. For a young family with one parent getting ready to  deploy at the time, this was incredibly dispiriting news.

MC-LEF’s Life-Changing Support

Then Sandy heard about the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation (MC-LEF). MC-LEF is a nonprofit that offers specific forms of financial support, including covering the cost of infant cranial remolding therapy, to Marines Corps and federal law enforcement families. “So that was a huge relief to hear,” Sandy recalls.

Sandy describes the process of getting assistance from MC-LEF “seamless,” noting that once the process was started, MC-LEF delivered the necessary check in 48 hours or less.

Through MC-LEF’s assistance, Sandy and Timothy received financial support to cover the cost of Jack’s specialized helmet. This act of generosity lifted a huge weight off their shoulders and allowed them to focus on what mattered most: Jack’s recovery and their time together as a family. Further, Sandy marvels, the helmet produced results “really fast,” adding to their sense of relief and hope for the future.

“I think about how thankful we are because it just allows us to not change what we want to do as a family,” Sandy recalls. “[...] My husband had big plans of going camping with my son when he got back from deployment…maybe that wouldn't have been so easy to do [if we had to pay for a $2,500 helmet.]”

Military Families: A Testament to Strength 

Sandy’s story is one of countless others that illustrate the sacrifices military families make. When Timothy is away serving his country, Sandy becomes both mom and dad, managing not only household duties but also navigating Jack’s complex medical situations with courage and diligence. 

Jack, despite his early struggles, is also a testament to the strength that runs through the entire family. His determination and spirit have astounded both his doctors and his family, and Sandy couldn’t be prouder. 

“He’s our little warrior,” Sandy says with a smile, reflecting on how far they’ve come. “He's very curious, adventurous, determined. He's already cruising [across various] surfaces … he should walk, I'm sure, any day now.”

Embracing New Beginnings

As Jack continues to grow and thrive, Sandy and Timothy have found moments of joy amidst the chaos. With Jack’s health improving and Timothy’s return from deployment in Africa, the family looks forward to creating new memories together.

Thanks to MC-LEF and specialized nonprofits like it, military families like Sandy’s can face life’s challenges and sacrifices with a little less worry. The support they provide not only changes lives, but strengthens families, allowing them to focus on what’s truly important. 

Support America’s Military Families With MC-LEF

For the Thompson family and countless others with military connections, organizations like MC-LEF are essential for navigating life in the face of adversity and building healthy, happy futures. For the rest of us, supporting them may be one of the best ways we can thank our military service members not just for their sacrifices, but for all the ways they mobilize our nation.

Since its inception in 1995, the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation (MC-LEF) has provided $35,000 in educational accounts and humanitarian assistance to the families of active duty fallen United States Marines, Navy Corpsmen, and Federal Law Enforcement Agents. To date, MC-LEF has awarded over $93 million in educational accounts and other humanitarian assistance to over 6,000 recipients. Contact us to learn more!

All MC-LEF officers and board members are volunteers; we have only one paid employee. We pride ourselves on running our organization as cost-effectively as possible so that over 90% of our donor funds can be used to accomplish our mission of serving the children of those who sacrificed all. Please consider donating today!