A Safe Haven to Call Home

December 14, 2021

Dear VILA Board Secretary, Colonel Mike La Belle (Ret.),

My brother, Captain Charles LeRoy Vigil, is a 78 year old veteran of the Vietnam war and has finally found a safe haven to call home. He worked in the VA Benefits office at 500 Gold Street in Albuquerque for approximately 20 years before retiring. Before meeting Faye and arriving at VILA, Captain Vigil was living alone in a Motel 6 for years, lacking nutritious meals, appropriate medical and social oversight, and wholly unable to take care of his own hygiene.

Captain Vigil’s history as a special forces paratrooper and green beret, and his experience commanding troops in Vietnam, have taken a severe toll on his mental and physical health. He relies on a walker to move, can no longer drive, and has problems with incontinence. His physical limitations and severe PTSD greatly hamper his ability to master any activities of daily living. His estranged wife, Deborah, and I made multiple referrals to Adult Protective Services, but he was determined to live alone, no matter how unpleasant the state.

On July 1, 2021 my siblings and I drove to Motel 6 to take him out to lunch and upon entering his room, immediately were taken aback by the foul odor emanating from his room. It appeared to be from feces and spilled food that littered the floor.

He complained he did not feel well. My brother and I then took him to the VA hospital emergency room. While at the ER, we asked to speak to a social worker, doubting that much could be done to help him, but desperate to try. That day a miracle happened: the VA ED social worker gave me Faye’s phone number. After speaking with Faye, we had hope – something we had not for him and his living situation in years! She and the VILA team picked him up from the motel; he was wrapped in a blanket because none of his clothing was clean. He was brought and her staff, Captain Vigil would still be living alone, isolated, and unable to care for himself. Words cannot express the gratitude that we have for VILA and its volunteer director, Faye.

Captain Vigil’s ex-wife has taken advantage of his vulnerability, having placed liens on his properties years after their divorce and milking interest off of savings that she demanded as part of their divorce settlement. She has taken thousands from him over the years, including his inheritance from a family property. Captain Vigil is a loving father to his two children (ages 18 and 16) that he had with his estranged wife Deborah. He still provides for them financially, but in order for Captain Vigil to meet his financial obligation to live in the VILA’s group home, he must stop paying approximately $900 a month to his ex-wife.

It is my hope that with Faye’s kind and loving support, my brother can continue to flourish for the first time since he was a young man. Without Faye’s generous help, my brother, Captain Vigil, would still be living alone and unattended.

Sincerely,

Joann V. Salazar

Retired from DOH of the state of New Mexico

(505-929-2868)