A Little Help from an Angel Posted on Tue, Mar. 20, 2007 Injured Marine's wife will be surprised with keys to new home By Pete Bosak - pbosak@centredaily.com The U.S. Marine from Bellefonte still fighting to recover from life-threatening wounds suffered in Iraq and his wife, nearly eight months pregnant, are about to be the proud owners of a new home. They just don't know it yet. Marine Cpl. David Emery Jr., or "D.J.," is in intensive care at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., suffering from a long list of severe wounds and related illnesses after a suicide bomb attack in Anbar province in Iraq on Feb. 7. His legs were essentially shattered, as was an arm, by the blast, which killed another Marine. Emery also suffered a severe abdominal wound and is in an operating room three days a week to have his wounds tended. His doctors are trying to wean him off of a ventilator. While Emery fights for his life with his wife, Leslie Shivery, at his side, a lot has been going on in Centre County that their families are keeping secret from them. Plans are in the works to surprise Shivery on April 6 with the keys to a new home during a ceremony that could become the pilot of a new reality TV series. It all happened when Shivery's sister and a friend contacted their childhood baby sitter, Bea Clapp, whose maiden name was Womer, of Runville. Clapp, an owner of Discretion Entertainment in West Palm Beach, Fla., had been planning to produce a reality television series called "An American Angel," about communities helping good people in their midst who have fallen on terrible times. When she learned of the wounded Marine's situation, she said she'd found the subject of her pilot episode, which she plans to market to television networks. "The Emerys would be the first episode," Clapp said. "The purpose is that good people hit tough times and they need an angel on their side. And those angels are right in their communities." Emery and his wife do not have a place of their own and planned to live in Emery's mother's trailer. Instead, Clapp and her company have paid more than $65,000 for a new manufactured home from Valley Homes that has been placed on a rented lot in The Blarney Stone in Julian. Ken Teaman, owner of Valley Homes, sold the home at a "significant" discount, and various businesses helped with related costs, Clapp said. It also is being made handicapped accessible, in view of Emery's long-term recovery. It is being deeded to Emery and his wife. Discretion Entertainment also will pay the lot rent for three years, Clapp said, and is accepting donations to help the family with other expenses. "We want to arrange things so all of their bills will be taken care of for three to five years," Clapp said. "She's going to have a new baby and a husband to take care of. She's not going to be able to work for a while. And Leslie's already worried about that. She's talked to her sister about that." Leslie's sister, Casey Shivery, said she is thrilled that her childhood baby sitter is doing so much to help the young family. "It's a miracle," Casey Shivery said. On April 6, the new home will be presented to Leslie Shivery, with crews ready to capture the surprise. Casey Shivery said she believes her sister will not mind that she may end up on TV if "An American Angel" finds a network or cable channel to air it. "She'll be OK," Shivery said. "But the whole day's going to be a whirlwind." Pete Bosak can be reached at 235-3928. How to help: -- The Marine Corps League Nittany Leathernecks Detachment has established a fund to help the Marine and his family with future expenses. Send checks or money orders made out to Nittany Leathernecks Detachment, attention Cpl. Emery Fund, P.O. Box 956, Lemont Pa., 16851-0956. -- Donations also are being accepted at any Omega Bank branch with checks made payable to “Benefit of David Emery, Leslie Shivery and Carlee Emery.” This fund, set up by “An American Angel,” gives all donations to Emery and his wife. -- Donations canisters through “An American Angel” have been placed in numerous businesses across Centre County. “An American Angel, Cpl. David Emery” bracelets are being sold for $5 at Northland Bowl Arena and Fisher's Market in Milesburg. All proceeds go to the family. u Beech Creek Wesleyan Church and the Beech Creek/ Blanchard Volunteer Fire Company will host a benefit concert for Emery at 7 p.m. Sunday at the fire company social hall. Music will be provided by Kels Lomison and Friends, and an offering will be received for Emery. |