Nadia McCaffrey
Encyclopedia
Nadia McCaffrey was born April 17, 1945 in Paris
, France
and married an American, Bob McCaffrey; then she immigrated to the United States. She is the founder of Angel Staff
, a group of volunteers who bring a caring presence to terminally ill patients and their families. Her son and only child, Sergeant Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr.
and his supervisor First Lieutenant Andre D. Tyson was killed while serving in Iraq, in an ambush near Balad
, Iraq on June 22, 2004.
She has campaigned against the war in Iraq along with Cindy Sheehan
in Crawford
after her son's death when the Pentagon
would not give her more details surrounding her son's death.
On June 20, 2005, the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division concluded that the Iraqi Security Forces, ICDC officers patrolling with her son's unit had killed Patrick and 1st Lt. Andre D. Tyson.
Scott Lindlaw from the Associated Press wrote:
"TRACY, Calif. — He'd trained as a combat lifesaver. Now Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey lay gravely wounded, his blood pooling on a street in Balad, Iraq.
Eight bullets had found flesh between the heavy body-armor plates meant to protect the California National Guardsman's torso. They sliced into his lungs, liver and other organs and struck two vital arteries, including his aorta.
Lt. Andre Tyson sprawled next to him, a round having pierced his forehead. He was gasping for breath.
Despite medics' frantic efforts, McCaffrey, 34, and Tyson, 33, soon died. But with their deaths a strange subplot in the Iraq war was born — a legal case still quietly unfolding today, as the U.S. Army pursues a murder trial.
McCaffrey and Tyson were slain by enemies posing as "friendly" Iraqi national guardsmen, according to Army investigators. The Iraqis patrolled alongside the Californians, then betrayed them when they turned their backs, investigators say."
death received national attention after Nadia invited the press to Sacramento International Airport to record images of this
flag-draped coffin returning home, contravening U.S. Military policy and president Bush's ban on the filming of U.S. Soldiers'
coffins returning home from Iraq. Following the death of her son, Nadia McCaffrey has become an international voice for peace
and responsibility in government.
In December 2004 Nadia embarked on a peace mission to the Middle East to meet with Iraqi families who have also lost loved
ones in the Iraq war. These meetings between families from opposing countries at war [sic: of course the United States is in actuality allied with Iraq] were emotional and deeply healing for all
who witnessed them. Through this film, Nadia will share that healing with all who see it and allow us to follow her on this journey
to peace.
She has since traveled through Europe conducting interviews in Paris with FRANCE3 TV and radio, and ARTE CHANNELS TV
(EU). In the US, she interviewed with Good Morning America, The Today's Show, The Paula Zanh Show, The Aaron Brown
Show, MSNBC, CNBC, DemocracyNow TV, Morning on 2, and CNN. Her story has been told through
documentaries, radio shows, and in magazines (such as Vanity Fair) and newspapers. She has appeared on the front page of
USA TODAY (twice), and the Washington Post, Newsweek. Nadia spent 23 days in Belgium and 10 days in Jordan, meeting with magazine,
newspaper, radio, and TV media outlets. Her message is sympathy, compassion and peace as the means to ending the
immorality of the U.S. Invasion and occupation of Iraq".
In 2006 she started a nonprofit 501c3 Patrick McCaffrey Foundation or VeteransVillage as a National not for profit corporation:
The mission of Patrick McCaffrey’s Foundation is to promote mental and holistic wellness and
palliative care among veterans returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially those
suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), by providing a live-in retreat village,
wherein with the help of trained professional staff and volunteers, veterans will find inner
healing and an eventual re-entry into society. One on One attention and Home-Like Care, a second Home
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and married an American, Bob McCaffrey; then she immigrated to the United States. She is the founder of Angel Staff
Angel Staff
Angel Staff, founded by Nadia McCaffrey, is an International NGO. The goals of the organization are to work to bring help and assistance to women and children who have survived the trauma of War as well as bring support for terminally ill people....
, a group of volunteers who bring a caring presence to terminally ill patients and their families. Her son and only child, Sergeant Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr.
Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr.
Sergeant Patrick R. McCaffrey, Sr. was a United States Army National Guard soldier killed in Iraq.McCaffrey was born in Palo Alto, California. He was a U.S...
and his supervisor First Lieutenant Andre D. Tyson was killed while serving in Iraq, in an ambush near Balad
Balad, Iraq
Balad is a city north of Baghdad in the Salah ad Din Governorate Iraq. It is located within the borders of the so-called Sunni Triangle; however, Balad is a primarily Shiite town of approximately 100,000...
, Iraq on June 22, 2004.
She has campaigned against the war in Iraq along with Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan is an American anti-war activist whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended anti-war protest at a makeshift camp outside President...
in Crawford
Crawford
- In Canada :* Crawford Bay Airport, British Columbia* Crawford Lake Conservation Area, Ontario- In the United Kingdom :* Crawford, a small village near Rainford, Merseyside* Crawford, South Lanarkshire, Scotland home to …...
after her son's death when the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
would not give her more details surrounding her son's death.
On June 20, 2005, the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division concluded that the Iraqi Security Forces, ICDC officers patrolling with her son's unit had killed Patrick and 1st Lt. Andre D. Tyson.
Scott Lindlaw from the Associated Press wrote:
"TRACY, Calif. — He'd trained as a combat lifesaver. Now Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey lay gravely wounded, his blood pooling on a street in Balad, Iraq.
Eight bullets had found flesh between the heavy body-armor plates meant to protect the California National Guardsman's torso. They sliced into his lungs, liver and other organs and struck two vital arteries, including his aorta.
Lt. Andre Tyson sprawled next to him, a round having pierced his forehead. He was gasping for breath.
Despite medics' frantic efforts, McCaffrey, 34, and Tyson, 33, soon died. But with their deaths a strange subplot in the Iraq war was born — a legal case still quietly unfolding today, as the U.S. Army pursues a murder trial.
McCaffrey and Tyson were slain by enemies posing as "friendly" Iraqi national guardsmen, according to Army investigators. The Iraqis patrolled alongside the Californians, then betrayed them when they turned their backs, investigators say."
Journey to Peace
Journey to Peace: One Mother's Quest to Stop the Suffering of War by Mark Manning features the personal outreach of Nadia McCaffrey. Nadia's son Patrick was killed in Iraq in June 2004. Hisdeath received national attention after Nadia invited the press to Sacramento International Airport to record images of this
flag-draped coffin returning home, contravening U.S. Military policy and president Bush's ban on the filming of U.S. Soldiers'
coffins returning home from Iraq. Following the death of her son, Nadia McCaffrey has become an international voice for peace
and responsibility in government.
In December 2004 Nadia embarked on a peace mission to the Middle East to meet with Iraqi families who have also lost loved
ones in the Iraq war. These meetings between families from opposing countries at war [sic: of course the United States is in actuality allied with Iraq] were emotional and deeply healing for all
who witnessed them. Through this film, Nadia will share that healing with all who see it and allow us to follow her on this journey
to peace.
She has since traveled through Europe conducting interviews in Paris with FRANCE3 TV and radio, and ARTE CHANNELS TV
(EU). In the US, she interviewed with Good Morning America, The Today's Show, The Paula Zanh Show, The Aaron Brown
Show, MSNBC, CNBC, DemocracyNow TV, Morning on 2, and CNN. Her story has been told through
documentaries, radio shows, and in magazines (such as Vanity Fair) and newspapers. She has appeared on the front page of
USA TODAY (twice), and the Washington Post, Newsweek. Nadia spent 23 days in Belgium and 10 days in Jordan, meeting with magazine,
newspaper, radio, and TV media outlets. Her message is sympathy, compassion and peace as the means to ending the
immorality of the U.S. Invasion and occupation of Iraq".
In 2006 she started a nonprofit 501c3 Patrick McCaffrey Foundation or VeteransVillage as a National not for profit corporation:
The mission of Patrick McCaffrey’s Foundation is to promote mental and holistic wellness and
palliative care among veterans returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially those
suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), by providing a live-in retreat village,
wherein with the help of trained professional staff and volunteers, veterans will find inner
healing and an eventual re-entry into society. One on One attention and Home-Like Care, a second Home