Our fellow Lion, Rosie Babin, whose caregiver duties prevent her from attending our weekly meetings, speaks to the club this week as an advocate for combat-wounded veterans and their loved ones, sharing one family’s story of determination, perseverance and courage.
She knows first-hand the challenges that injured service members, their families and caregivers face: Her son, CPL Alan R. Babin, a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division, was severely wounded in Iraq in 2003 by a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He then suffered a stroke at Walter Reed, and transitioned through seven different medical centers in more than two years of in-patient hospitalizations.
Through it all, Rosie demonstrated grace and power under pressure and cared for Alan alongside his medical teams.
While caring for Alan, Rosie founded and, for nine years, led a nonprofit organization that provided emergency financial assistance, mentoring, respite care and institutional support to America’s wounded and their caregivers. Her tenacious and ever-hopeful approach, as well as her background as an Army veteran, paralegal and office administrator allowed her to overcome obstacles to find the needed resources. During its existence, the organization provided more than $1.8 million in direct emergency assistance to more than 1,200 veterans and their families.
Rosie continues to care for Alan full-time, but also speaks before civic and veterans’ groups to inspire support and to keep the interests of wounded warriors front and center.
She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Alain, for 41 years. They joined the Army under the buddy system in 1978 and were stationed in Germany for 3 years before returning to Texas to finish out their enlistment. They have two children, Alan and Christy, and reside in Lakeway.
Meals provided by Manny Sifuentes, manager at Cafe del Rio, a business staffed by the Texas Commission for the Blind.