Raymie Parker, the son of a now-deceased military veteran, is claiming that his requests to have the Department of Veterans Affairs properly care for his sick father were met with “stonewalling.”
Parker’s father, 73-year-old military veteran Owen Reese Peterson, was a patient of the 100-year-old Talihina, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs facility. He died on October 3 from an infection and was found to have maggots in this wound prior to his passing.
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs executive director Myles Deering has confirmed that the maggots were discovered at the VA facility while the veteran was alive. Deering claims the cause of death was sepsis.
“The agency said a physician’s assistant and three nurses, including the director of nursing, resigned after an investigation was conducted. Spokesman Shane Faulkner said all four chose to resign before the termination process began,” reports the Associated Press.
Parker claims that his attempts to get the VA to properly care for his elderly father and change his bandage were met with resistance.
“During the 21 days I was there… I pled with the medical staff, the senior medical staff, to increase his meds so his bandages could be changed,” said Parker. “I was met with a stonewall for much of that time.”
Fox News contributor and military veteran Pete Hegseth sounded off on the disgraceful actions of the VA on Monday morning.
In a fiery rebuke of government-run healthcare and the current culture residing at the VA, Hegseth expressed outrage over the reported “stonewalling” Parker faced from VA bureaucracy. He was met with a culture “that didn’t care enough about this veteran to change his wounds for 21 days so that maggots—maggots—were found in that wound. It churns my stomach,” said Hegseth.
The veteran explained that this is what “soulless healthcare” looks like; “that’s government-run healthcare,” he clarified.
Lamenting the utter lack of choice America’s brave veterans face, Hegseth succinctly stated: “If you don’t have a choice for a veteran to go outside, then they’re treated like widgets.”
President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Hegseth for VA secretary.
Per the AP, the incident was reported to the Oklahoma State Department of Health; it is yet to be determined if charges will be filed.