AL UDEID AIR BASE, QATAR --
Deployed service members at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, joined representatives from the Qatar Emiri Air Force to send a care package to a teenager recovering from a C-1 vertebrae fracture.
Gregory is a high school junior, an Eagle Scout and a Civil Air Patrol cadet. He likes hunting, diesel trucks, anything related to the military and refers to himself as a country boy, said his father, Staff Sgt. Daniel Stein, 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron crew chief.
In November Gregory broke his nose and fractured his C-1 vertebrae when the all-terrain vehicle he was riding flipped over. The accident rendered him unconscious and unable to move his limbs. His friends called 911. Once first responders arrived on the scene, Gregory regained consciousness, said Stein.
Gregory was rushed to the trauma center at Sutter Health Roseville Medical Center in Roseville, California, where he spent nine days in the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit. He was later sent to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California.
“I was getting ready to send Stein home to take care of his family,” said Master Sgt. William Nuttell, 8th EAMS section chief. “He told us that he had talked to his son and he said, ‘dad you being there serving the country is my impetus to get up and walk. Your job is to keep our home shores safe and my job is to get better.’”
Later, members of the 8th EAMS decided to build a care package to send to Gregory. The QEAF offered to help.
“The Qataris flew a Qatari flag on their C-17 to honor Stein’s son,” said Nuttell. “The pilot also signed, dated and put the plane’s tail number on the flag.”
“We contributed to the care package because we all have families and we know how imporant family is,” said Nuttell.
This is an example of how the cooperation between the United States and Qatar work together as a whole team, said Nuttell.
“It does not matter if we are different internationally; we can all come together when it comes to family,” said Kevin Vidinhar, an engineering and technical support field representative. “Everybody was willing to reach out and help, because we can all relate to family.”
The care package was mailed to Gregory so he could receive it before Christmas. He has returned home and is progressing.
“I am deeply honored with the amount of caring that my leadership, the community and the Qatari people have shown me and my family,” Stein said. “I can’t say enough good things about my leadership both here and at home.”
“I'm proud of my wife who has experienced and had to deal with so much; she has really been the resilient leader of this event,” Stein added. “I'm proud of my 14 year old son, Chuck, who has been the calm rock of the family and has been there for his brother to assist with his rehabilitation. I'm proud of my son, Greg, who still smiles even though privately he has concerns about his future. My whole family is an inspiring example of resiliency to me. There are many other family and friends that I am grateful for as well,” he said.
Stein is an Air Force reservist who is deployed from the 349th Maintenance Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, California.