"RFB&D is here to further our lives…
plain and simple,
I could not get through school without them." - Mike Jernigan
Mike Jernigan strides confidently down the corridor, his guide dog, Britney, beside him. They reach the elevator, and go to the second floor for Mike's next class. For me and the video crew I am with, we have to run to keep up with his long strides. When Mike reaches his classroom, he folds his coat militarily and takes a seat in the front. For the next two hours he is completely absorbed in American history. Britney rests on the floor beside him.
Later, we interview Mike about how he is using RFB&D®'s audiobooks at Northern Virgina Community College. He tells us how thrilled he was when he could get books on CD instead of the four track cassettes. He describes how he takes notes while he reads by speaking into a portable cassette player. He proudly brags about his computer skills and the assistive technology he uses so proficiently. It is obvious he is fiercely independent; the loss of his vision is not going to slow him down. Like the thousands of wounded veterans before him who used RFB&D's recorded books to continue their educations, Mike is determined to complete his degree, begin a career, and move forward with his life. It is a joy to see his enthusiasm, especially when we learn exactly how long a road his recovery has been.
Born into a military family, Mike always thought he would join the military too. With grandfathers, uncles and his dad all serving in various branches of the service, it was a proud family tradition. When Mike was sworn into the Marine Corps, it was his father who administered the oath while the rest of the family looked on.
It wasn't long before Mike found himself shipping out to Okinawa, Japan, then Kuwait and, ultimately, Iraq. In Iraq, Mike found himself in several firefights. Bullets flew around him, hitting the dirt at his feet, missing him at times by only inches. Then one day, while patrolling in an armored Humvee, two roadside bombs went off, one after the other. Mike was thrown in the air and sustained severe head injuries, that caused him to lose his sight, and had fingers blown off that were later reattached. But for the quick response of medics, he could have bled to death right there on the road from a punctured femoral artery. What followed was years of pain, surgery and a depression that Mike says sent to him "to a dark, bad, lonely place." Gradually, inch by inch, with the help of medical personnel, counselors and a close and loving family, Mike has left the dark place behind. As he says, "It's been a long, hard road."
Mike feels honored to know that RFB&D was originally founded for wounded veterans like himself, and is thankful to the thousands of volunteers who make the recorded books possible. The footage and interviews done with him will be used to create a Public Service Announcement about RFB&D, and his story will be told in an informational video. RFB&D is honored to have him as a member.
Semper Fidelis, Mike!
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Thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs, as well as the generous support of private donors, RFB&D Individual Memberships are offered free to veterans and individuals with proper certification*. If you are a veteran or soldier interested in membership, please contact Barbara Zustovich at vetmembership@rfbd.org, 609-520-8017, or ask for Barbara when you call 800-221-4792. RFB&D was created to serve veterans then ... and we are here to serve them now.
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For general membership information, contact our member services line at 800-221-4792 or visit our membership information page.