Dedra Reed

Dedra Reed supports the children and families of her community as a full-time paraprofessional for a local elementary school. It is a position that provides her flexibility for caregiving while giving her sense of purpose. Dedra also has experience in the medical field with a professional background as a licensed physical therapy assistant.

Dedra’s husband Charles “Dozer” Reed served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the U.S. Army National Guard. While with the National Guard, he deployed to Iraq in 2005 as a Supply NCO. During that deployment, Dozer was injured when his Humvee hit a gaping hole left by an IED. He slammed into the roof of his vehicle rendering him unconscious and leaving him with injuries to his cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine that resulted in six spine surgeries and medical retirement from the military. Those injuries were significantly compounded in March of 2020 when he was struck by a car, causing a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and putting him into a coma for four months.

Since 2020, Dedra has closely managed Dozer’s care from numerous providers across Texas. She has devoted much of her time to advocating for his placement in skilled facilities that meet the requirements of his complex health issues. Over the past five years, Dozer has been admitted to ten different facilities, reflecting the steep challenges of finding a setting equipped to meet his needs. 

Dedra says the exhaustive process of getting Dozer into the right care home was the loneliest and most humbling experience of her life, but she was determined to find the right match. When she finally found a facility where Dozer was stable and content, she said it felt like she could breathe for the first time in four years.    

As a Dole Caregiver Fellow, Dedra has several priorities. They start by ensuring that caregivers are not overlooked in medical settings. She says, “There have been many times on my journey where I felt completely alone and silenced. I do not want another caregiver to feel that way. I want them to feel empowered and heard.”