Positivity: ‘Good tears’ flow after surprise gift
Leslie Shivery felt guilty leaving the bedside of her critically wounded husband, Marine Cpl. David “D.J.” Emery Jr., to accept an award from Centre County’s Marine Corps League — or so she thought — on her husband’s behalf Friday.
She doesn’t regret the trip anymore.
Shivery was stunned Friday when she was taken by limousine to a manufactured home in the Blarney Stone development to find dozens of friends and family waiting for her, along with the Nittany Leathernecks Detachment of the Marine Corps League and several active-duty Marines in full dress uniforms.
She cried when she saw the Marines. She cried even harder when she was told the house in front of her now belongs to her and her husband.
The manufactured home was paid for by “An American Angel,” a proposed new television series produced by Centre County native Bea Clapp, with Discretion Entertainment. Donations from local businesses and individuals helped landscape, furnish the house and pay the rent on the lot for three years.
Shivery also was given the keys to a brand new Toyota.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” Shivery said. “God bless every single soul who has helped, even with prayers. That’s what we need a lot of right now.”
Emery, 21, of Bellefonte, was critically wounded Feb. 7 by a suicide bomber in Anbar province, Iraq, just weeks before he was to return home after finishing his second tour there. His doctors at a Naval hospital in Bethesda, Md., amputated both of Emery’s injured legs to help him battle a life-threatening blood infection. One of his arms also was shattered and a severe abdominal wound still requires surgical care.
Adding to Shivery’s fears for her husband were worries about their daughter, Carlee, due to be born next month, and about where the new family would live once Emery can leave the hospital.
She was unaware, as she kept vigil at her husband’s bedside, that those worries were being seen to by her family, friends and the Centre County community.
The Marine Corps League’s Nittany Leathernecks established a bank account to help the Emerys. Clapp learned of the family’s plight through friends and Shivery’s family. The idea for “An American Angel” — a reality TV series about communities helping people in need — already was in the works with Clapp’s West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Discretion Entertainment. She decided the Emerys will be the stars of the as-yet-unsold pilot episode.
Valley Homes gave Clapp a substantial discount on the home. Wolf Furniture helped furnish it with everything the family needs to get started, including a nursery for Carlee. The project had help from contractors, including Veronisi Building and Kohlhepp’s Stone Center. The car was provided by Joel Confer Toyota and other donors.
“We only started the miracle,” Clapp said. “It was this community that made it possible.”
Shivery said she could not wait to tell her husband about their new home, which is handicapped-accessible, and the car. She said Emery, before he was wounded, was deeply worried about finding a job after he left the Marine Corps so he could support his wife and daughter and provide them a home.
“I can just imagine him lying there and thinking, ‘How am I going to support my family now?’” Shivery said through tears. “This is going to be such a stress relief for him.”
On Thursday evening, as Shivery was trying to explain to Emery that she had to go home for a couple days, he got upset and shook his head “no,” Shivery said. She told him she was going back to accept an award on his behalf from his fellow Marines. With that, he nodded his approval, Shivery said.
“Of course he got a little tear running down his cheek,” Shivery said. “I said these are good tears, right? And he shook his head ‘yes.’” …..
A list of donors is also at the centredaily.com site.
