They’ve raised $1,400
Morgan Hill – A group of Hitachi co-workers has started a fund drive to help a Morgan Hill family whose son was injured fighting in Iraq last month.
The fund is to help David Shebib, 22, a U.S. Army Medic who was hurt by a roadside bomb Dec. 28.
They’ve raised about $1,400 and have set up a bank account so the public can also donate.
Members of the group are friends and co-workers of Shebib’s mom, Charlene, a Morgan Hill resident and senior lab specialist at Hitachi Global Storage Technologies in San Jose. About 50 employees have contributed.
Gina Whitney, Charlene’s friend and lab manager who helped start the fund drive Jan. 8, said the employees were eager to show their support.
“Basically, a lot of folks here wanted to help out with the family’s expenses, as far as travel,” said Whitney, who’s known Charlene for about 15 years.
The co-workers have also sent cards and other items of comfort to the Shebib family.
Whitney said she was “deeply saddened” when she heard the news about David Shebib.
“I’ve known David since he was young,” Whitney said.
Shebib is recovering from injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., with family members by his side.
Charlene on Wednesday said her son is doing well in his difficult recovery. He is lucid, able to speak, move his arms and walk and send e-mails to his friends. But he will need extensive physical therapy and months of treatment to regain full strength.
“He’s getting his endurance back,” said Charlene, adding David’s lost about 20 pounds. “He’s just very fragile.”
Shebib, a 2002 graduate of Central Continuation High School in Morgan Hill, was patrolling a road south of Baghdad when a hidden bomb exploded. He suffered multiple fractures and shrapnel wounds to his upper body. He was airlifted from the scene to an Iraqi hospital and later transfered to a U.S. military hospital in Germany. He arrived in Washington, D.C. at the end of December.
Several of Shebib’s friends continue to show support on his mypace.com page, posting comments urging him to “get well.” A sixth-grade teacher at Charter School Morgan Hill, Cristin Reichmuth, had her class of 28 students write letters to the family.
Charlene said the outpouring of love and support has been “wonderful.”
“It’s just been so fantastic that everybody’s helping and concerned,” she said. “I just want to thank everybody. It’s really been good because Morgan Hill isn’t that big of a town … everybody’s praying for him and thinking of him, and that’s the most wonderful thing.”
HOW TO HELP
Donate to a Fund for David Shebib
Checks may be made out to the David Shebib Benefit Fund and deposited at any Wells Fargo Bank branch.
Write to David Shebib
Letters of support may be sent to
David Shebib, c/o Shebib Family, Mologne House, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Ave., NW, Bldg 20, Washington, DC
20307-5001
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tb*******@*************es.com.
