[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 118 (Thursday, August 5, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S6877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL FREY

 Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Mr. 
Michael Frey, a disabled Missouri veteran whose courage, perseverance, 
and fortitude are remarkable and in keeping with the finest traditions 
of Missouri and American values: hard work, independence, humbleness, 
selfless sacrifice, and more.
  As a young 19-year old soldier in Vietnam, Mr. Frey served as a squad 
leader in Alpha Company 3/21 of the 19th Infantry Brigade. On July 14, 
1969, Mr. Frey and the members of Alpha Company were ambushed near the 
Chu Lai base camp. His spinal cord was shattered by enemy fire, and the 
injuries rendered him paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a 
ventilator for assistance in breathing. Given the extent of his 
injuries, many doctors would have given Mr. Frey a short time to live, 
but this special Missourian was about to prove that his case and that 
he himself was special.
  Mr. Frey returned to the United States and began receiving full-time 
care through St. Louis-area Veterans Administration, VA, hospitals, 
where he gained the respect and admiration of the hospital staff for 
his resilience, problem-solving approach, and positivity even as he 
faced almost unthinkable limitations. On December 7, 1984, 15 years 
after his spine was shattered in Vietnam, more than double the time 
individuals with his type of injuries are projected to survive, Mr. 
Frey moved out of the Spinal Cord Injury facility at Jefferson Barracks 
Veterans Hospital and into his own home--a remarkable accomplishment 
for a person with complete tetraplegia.
  Since then, Mr. Frey has lived on his own for over 25 years, and he 
is still going strong. Today he actively manages his daily care with 
the help of a team of care specialists, and he continues to take full 
charge of his health through preventative care and regular 
collaboration with VA doctors. He has the benefit of a strong social 
network and a self-confidence that has allowed him to bounce back from 
setbacks. He also remains an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and regularly 
attends games. In fact, Mr. Frey developed a special friendship with 
the late, great St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck, who 
befriended Mr. Frey in the 1970s and encouraged him along the way.
  Having survived over 40 years since his injury, Mr. Frey is one of 
the longest living tetraplegics in the VA system. I honor him today for 
his wonderful example in coping with his disability. His spirited 
approach to life is emblematic of the courage, honor, and strength of 
this country's veterans who fight for our freedom. His partnership with 
the many great professionals in the VA healthcare system in St. Louis, 
who at once serve him and revere him, is uplifting and embodies how our 
VA system can work best. I join the people of Missouri, and all 
Americans, in saluting Mr. Frey's courage and to humbly thank him for 
all that he has done, and for all that he endured, for this country. 
Mr. Michael Frey is a true American hero.

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