Robert Leibrand: Standing Shoulder to Shoulder with Fellow Veterans

Robert Leibrand, of Haddonfield, a decorated twice-wounded POW, served his country in the Army during WWII and serves his community as a deacon in his church. After caring for his wife, a Samaritan Hospice patient, during her final illness, he wanted to give back to Samaritan as a Patient/Family Support Volunteer. In this role, Bob serves as a neighbor, a friend, to those coping with a progressive, life-limiting illness.

Specifically, Bob visits and supports veterans who are facing “their final battle.” He understands more than civilians the types of experiences these brave men have had and they share their own “language.” Bob provides knowledgeable companionship, shares stories and experiences and has even been asked by the widow of one Samaritan patient, a Marine, to conduct his funeral service.

In the fall of 2007, while visiting Samaritan patient Pat Sasso, Bob was shown a box of memorabilia from Pat’s WWII days. There was a letter that referenced how Pat’s unit had liberated Stolberg, Germany – the very town where Bob was taken prisoner. While Bob was already in a new location, and wasn’t freed at that time, they realized that they were in the same place at practically the same time so many years before, and they were together again now but the roles had been reversed. Now it was Pat who needed another soldier’s help and Bob was more than willing to oblige. You can read more of Pat and Bob’s story in this Philadelphia Inquirer article.
 
Bob strongly believes that a soldier never leaves another soldier behind and the end-of-life is no different. Bob stands shoulder to shoulder with fellow veterans who are fighting their final battle, against a terminal illness, offering support to his comrades.