BY JESSICA SMITH
Staff Writer
PHOTOSBY JEFF GRANIT staff Above: Irene Bentley (l-r), Lisa and Jorrel Persaud, and Kim Bell pose for a group photo at the Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge division. Bell sent care packages to Jorrel while he was serving in Iraq with the Army National Guard. At right: Bentley (l-r), Lisa and Jorrel Persaud laugh at a card a nurses sent to Jorrel. A group of nurses helped make Jorrel Persaud laugh while he served in the war in Iraq.
Among other things, the operating room nurses at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge sent funny movies to the soldier they took under their wing as part of an “adopt a soldier” program about a year ago. They finally got the chance to meet him on Friday, when he and his wife, Lisa, paid a visit to the hospital to thank them.
“I really needed something like that – it was wonderful,” Persaud, 22, said. “It really lifted my spirits.”
Persaud returned home from Iraq in December, after serving there for a year. On Valentine’s Day, he wed Lisa, of Asbury Park, after a long-distance relationship that blossomed four years ago, when they were in basic training together for the National Guard.
“I don’t want to ever let him go,” Lisa Persaud said.
Jorrel, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., now stationed in Texas, said he may have to return to Iraq at some point.
“If all goes well, I’ll be in Florida February of next year,” Persaud said.
The group of about 20 nurses sent Persaud care packages every six weeks. Along with the DVDs, they sent snacks, writing paper, and “word find” and sudoku books, the nurses said.
“It was fun trying to think of things they want to watch, and find things that are uplifting,” said Irene Bentley, one of the nurses. “It’s exciting that … we finally get to meet him.”
Persaud told Bentley he was happy with her DVD selections, saying “Zoolander” was a big favorite, and joking about the significance of “Hitch” in his relationship with Lisa.
“She started the chain reaction,” Persaud said of Bentley. “That’s what people spent most of their time watching there – comedy. I can’t watch war movies anymore.”
Kim Bell, another nurse, exchanged e-mails with Persaud every couple of weeks, which she would post for the group of nurses to read.
“When he got the first [package], he said, ‘Oh my God, it was like Christmas morning,’ ” Bell said.
The nurses welcomed Persaud with a cake, as well as a gift card to honor the couple’s nuptials. The Persauds stopped by the hospital before embarking on their drive to Fort Hood, Texas, where they will be living. On the way, they planned to visit Persaud’s parents in Florida.
Persaud, a specialist in the Army’s 4th Infantry unit, said he spent his time in Iraq conducting raids, ensuring safety for the new government, and doing goodwill missions, which involved distributing school supplies and candy to Iraqi children.
“I felt every day,” Persaud said. “But these people, and my lovely wife here, made each day easier.”
Even with the support of those back home, Persaud’s time in Iraq was difficult. He said he had very little time off, and the climate and odor really got to him. Persaud said he grew accustomed to drinking hot water to slake his thirst, because that was all there was.
“It’s like another world,” Persaud said. “People who are ungrateful, who don’t know what we have here, should spend a month there, even a week.”
Persaud credited God for keeping him safe during his time at war, displaying the cross he wore at all times while he was there.
“I prayed every day, every night, every meal,” Persaud said. “But it wasn’t the cross keeping me safe, it was God.”
Upon arriving home, the things Persaud was most thankful for were seeing his wife again, and breathing clean, fresh air.
“The first thing I did when I got off the plane was inhale,” Persaud said.
Persaud expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the nurses for making his stay in Iraq a little bit easier, saying their support was one of the things that helped get him through the year.
“People like them, that’s who I’m fighting for,” Persaud said.