Gebhardt, who had been assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Medical Group in the Balad hospital, said he saw the child acting fussy and restless in her crib one day and figured she just needed some human contact. So he picked her up and started comforting her. He was unaware that a nurse had snapped the photo until the nurse sent it to him. The girl never spoke to him, Gebhardt said. Her eyes were always glazed. She appeared to be coming out of a sleep, he said. But he thinks holding her helped. All he knows for certain about her is that she eventually was released to a surviving family member after he had returned to McConnell. She seemed to be doing better, seemed to be gaining weight, Gebhardt said. The picture was taken in October 2006, while Chief Gebhardt was deployed to Balad Air Base in Iraq. According to the Air Force Print News, the infant girl Chief Gebhardt held in his arms received extensive gunshot injuries to her head when insurgents attacked her family killing both of her parents and many of her siblings. Chief Gebhardt is now back home in Wichita, Kansas, with his wife and two children. An Air Force Link article about the sudden fame he gained as the subject of this photograph reported that: The chief had a knack for comforting [the injured Iraqi girl] and they often would catch a cat nap together in a chair. I got as much enjoyment out of it as the baby did, he said. I reflected on my own family and life and thought about how lucky I have been. While deployed to Iraq, the chief tried to help out any way he could. He figured holding a baby that needed comforting that would free up one more set of arms that could be providing care to more critical patients. I pray for the best for the Iraqi children, he said. I cant tell the difference between their kids and our kids. The Iraqi parents have the same care and compassion for their children as any American. Read more at snopes/photos/military/gebhardt.asp#IggXeyeQme5usJRJ.99
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:24:14 +0000
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