About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of Progressive Traumatic Brain Injury on military families through the stories of Bianca Baldwin and Fran Wesseling.

Service is an honor and a burden carried by more than just those who don the Green Beret. Service is borne by the family that stands in the shadows every step of the way. Through training, deployments, uncertainty, the highest highs and the lowest lows, it’s the family that waits for their Green Beret to return.  From the 2nd Annual Stars and Stripes Classic , Fran Racioppi sat down with Bianca Baldwin and Fran Wesseling , the spouse and mother of Major Darren Baldwin; a Green Beret who came home from combat, but was never the same.  Darren’s journey began at the United States Military Academy, where he played lacrosse and built the foundation of discipline, teamwork, and commitment that would carry him into Special Forces.  During a deployment, Darren was forced to return home early due to what initially seemed like minor health issues. Further evaluation revealed lesions on his brain, marking the beginning of a long and uncertain fight. Diagnosed with Progressive Traumatic Brain Injury, Bianca and Fran answered a family’s hardest call to service.  They shared with me the critical role a family plays in the success of a Green Beret, why strength is important…

People in this episode

Host: Fran Racioppi

Guests: Bianca Baldwin, Fran Wesseling

Topics covered

• traumatic brain injury
• military families
• Green Berets
• caregiving
• service and sacrifice

Keywords

• traumatic brain injury
• military service
• Green Beret
• caregiving
• family support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Green Beret Foundation, MAJ(R) Darren Baldwin Silver Star Families Support Fund, United States Military Academy

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