A Father's Day Tribute to My Son-in-Law, My...

*Note: I wrote this story for Father's Day last year, but I think it bears repeating.

This is a love story. A love story about my daughter and son-in-law. A love story to my son-in-law.

Two years ago my daughter and granddaughter were in a horrific car accident. My granddaughter suffered only bruises from her infant seat belts, my daughter, however was not so lucky. As their car rolled over and over down a steep embankment, something, perhaps a tree stump or a concrete culvert, smashed through the driver's side window. The impact shattered the bones in my daughter's face like dominos.

Suddenly, this quiet, unassuming farmer who is most comfortable on a tractor or in the hog shed, experienced a frightening flash point in his life. In an instant he had almost lost what was most dear to him, his wife and daughter. Just as suddenly, he was thrust into a world of doctors and hospitals, forced to make life-altering decisions for his young family.

Shannon's injuries were so catastrophic, she would need to be sent to a larger trauma center, so Casey asked the doctor where he would send his wife. With that, Shannon was flown by Life-Flight to the University of Iowa Medical Center and Casey began the first of many six- hour trips to Iowa City.

Immediately, Casey became a strong advocate and voice for my daughter. Her head grotesquely swollen and bandaged, she could not speak or see, and as we learned later, hear in her right ear. Miraculously, though the bones in her face were virtually free-floating under her skin, she had no brain damage. Neither did she have any spinal cord or internal injuries. He rarely left her side, demanding the best care, and continually asking questions of the many doctors that came in and out of her room.

I cannot begin to imagine the nightmare Shannon was going through at this time, but I do know it was Casey's soft words and gentle touch that would calm her. He let her know through his actions as much as his words, that he loved her unconditionally. A strong love grew even stronger. They made all the medical decisions together, the most difficult one determining that her left eye, so badly crushed and no longer functioning, should be removed.

A fifteen-hour surgery, with scores of some of the top surgeons in the country, was needed to rebuild her face. This was not the same face of the beautiful girl he married, but it was still the girl he loved, in sickness and in health.

Casey and his family, who lived just down the road, were just as important to Shannon's healing process as all her doctors. By letting her know she didn't have to worry about anything but getting better, she was able to concentrate on healing. His parents and sister-in-law took care of Emma, his brother and dad picking up the extra work load when he was gone.

Months of recovery followed. Before Shannon could go home, Casey had to learn how to remove and clean her trach, swab and clean the 85 staples in her head, attach the liquid food bags to her feeding tube and administer her medications. Although home health nurses came everyday, she felt most comfortable in Casey's care. If she had a panic attack, he would drop whatever he was doing, come home and talk her through the anxiety. He would tease, and cajole and hold her. But mostly, he just loved her.

When it was time for me to finally go home, I knew she was in good hands.

Every two weeks for at least a year, he would load up the wheelchair (needed while her hip healed), all the medications and drive Shannon six hours, one- way, back to the hospital for tests and additional surgeries. He never complained.

Distance - I live in L.A, they live on a farm in Iowa - had kept me from knowing my son-in-law very well in the few years they had been married, but staying in a hospital together for 3 weeks forges a strong bond. One of Shannon's doctors stood out in the hospital hallway with me as we watched Casey and Shannon together, and he quietly said, "You just never know when a hero is going to show up."

Three months ago, Casey and I were once again in a hospital room together, but this time it was a joyous occasion. Baby Ruby Kay was born, joining her big sister Emma, now three and a half.

Shannon has a prosthetic eye and a hearing aid, and is now starting another round of surgeries to her mouth, her eye socket and her wrist. They have continued on with their lives, side by side, tackling each problem and each surgery as it comes along, together. They don't consider themselves to be extraordinary – but they are.

Casey is a quiet, hard-working, Midwest farmer. A wonderful husband and father who adores all three of his "girls". He would be embarrassed by any show of affection or accolades, scoffing at being called a hero. But he is a hero. My hero.