34 - Eleanor, Honoring a Great Lady

Eleanor, Honoring a Great Lady

This story goes back a long way and worth repeating. It begins with World War II when all who were unable to be in the military to serve their country, did serve by working for aircraft companies. There were many such companies here in San Diego and most of my family worked at either Consolidated or Rohr Aircraft.

My uncle Leo worked at Rohr Aircraft on airplane engines. There he spent many hours and frequent overtime to provide faster and newer planes for our overseas pilots. He was the oldest of my four uncles and, in my mind, the sweetest. He was handsome, kind, a great father of a two-½ year old boy and new baby girl, and a loving husband. The kind I could only dream of having when I married.

One day, while Leo was working on an engine, a crank turned too quickly and with great force hit Leo in the groin. At first the injury did not appear to be too serious, however his pain continued to grow more severe. As time went on he became weaker and quieter and we, as a family, became more and more concerned.

I was there, with the rest of the family, the day he was taken to the hospital. All sitting in a waiting room and frightened with hands wringing and tears flowing. Not really knowing what was wrong until we were informed that Leo had tubercular meningitis, a deadly disease with little or no hope. How did he get it, where did it come from, did the crank accident have anything to do with it? Many questions and no answers. We didn’t know all of the medical details. We only knew that nothing and no one at this hospital was able to help him.

We were literally told that he was dying. That there was no hope. It was then that my mother said, “The only hope we have is getting the penicillin for him. The doctors say that it’s impossible to get it. But there must be a way.” That was when penicillin had just entered the medical world. It was only available to the military. No effort on the part of the family brought to us this last chance for Leo’s life. This new miracle drug might be the only way to save him. Why were we being denied it?

The stress and the pain and the despair became more than I could handle. I wanted to help my grandmother, but she was beyond help. So too was my mother. She had tried to find a solution. We knew that she had contacted the military but to no avail. “If only we knew someone in authority like the Governor or maybe even the Mayor. Maybe they would help us.” She had tried and they could not. I needed to leave the waiting room and be quietly by myself. Slowly I walked away and down the hall. I stopped at the door of Leo’s room and offered a silent prayer to God. “Please, Dear God, don’t take Leo from us. He’s so young and his family needs him. Please take me instead.”

My prayers seemed futile. All I could hope for was help getting the penicillin. I stood there praying as my eyes wandered to the other side of the sick rooms. There, nestled between two rooms, was a phone booth. Not a pay phone. Just a phone to be used to make a call. Why not? I thought to myself. Why not? I entered the booth and picked up the phone to inform the operator that I wanted to reach the offices of Eleanor Roosevelt in Washington, D.C.

Eventually a phone rang and in time was picked up. A voice answered, “Eleanor Roosevelt’s Office, may I help you.”

“May I speak with Eleanor Roosevelt please,” I asked.

The reply was, “She is not available right now. Perhaps I can help you.”

I told her the story of Leo. I told her about the babies who needed him. I told her that there was a whole family crying and suffering at the thought of losing him. I told her that he worked at building airplanes to help support his country. Now I was asking for his country to support him and to find release of the penicillin so that we may have a chance of saving his life. I finished by saying, “I know that Eleanor Roosevelt would help me. Is there no way I can reach her?”

“Please hold for a few minutes,” came the reply and I waited. It seemed that I waited a very long time before another voice came on the line.

“Is this Vailia?” the voice asked and there was no mistaking. It was the voice of Eleanor Roosevelt. The unmistakable sound of her very different voice.

“Well” she said, after I replied “you will have your penicillin in San Diego tomorrow morning. We must send it from here and a member of the Naval Hospital will pick it up. You should receive it about 10:00 in the morning. I’m so sorry about your uncle. I hope this helps him and your family.” I had only a moment to thank her and bless her and let her know that I would never forget her kindness. Then we said goodbye.

Mother was waiting outside the phone booth door. She had worried about me being gone for so long. Then I told her about Eleanor and our miracle and together we went back to the waiting room to tell the others. She spoke and I watched in wonder as hope began to cover their faces. We were going to get the miracle drug that could save our Leo’s life.

The penicillin did arrive on time. The doctors at Leo’s hospital refused to use it. They tried to explain that he was too far-gone. That he was brain dead. That it was too late
for any effort to save him. That the penicillin could best be used by others who needed it. I was frightened and angry. Why couldn’t they at least try? It took years before I forgave them and realized that they were right. Our precious Leo died a very short time later. It has also taken years for me to try to let others know about Eleanor Roosevelt.

She was more than our First Lady. She belonged to the world as a leader, as a strong but gentle woman, as a woman of kindness and compassion. She came closer to being a saint than anyone I knew before our conversation or have known since. She is, and will remain, my example of a truly wonderful and amazing woman…She spoke to me.