FORT CAVAZOS, Texas(KXXV) — "I can't tell you how it makes me feel — I get chills," said mother of Army Specialist, Margie Taylor.
"If I were to die today, I'd be happy that at least I did something in his honor to save lives."
- Bi-Partisan bill has been introduced
- Son died of an enlarged heart in 2022
- Community advocates are needed
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Margie Taylor is sharing her excitement for what she calls Chapter 1 of the Army Specialist Joey Lenz bill that was introduced on Friday.
The bill requires every person in the military to take an in-person physical every year — she contacted 25 News about the bill after we had previously worked with her on a previous story.
"It's something called the All-American Bill that helps keep our military safe by doing things we do ourselves," Taylor said.
"We go to the doctor, we have physicals in person, we don't go online."
Joey Lenz died in his sleep in February 2022 of an enlarged heart — it's a condition his mother says he didn't know he had, and didn't come up in the online personal.
"His lab report that he had done when he was in ICU March 17, 2021 — he had a very elevated component level of the enzyme that shows heart conditions he was not notified of that information," Taylor said.
"He was given medication for anxiety in January the month before he died that don't work together should be prescribed together and never with anybody with a heart issue."
"He was also given a vaccine that shouldn't be given to someone with a heart issue — but had he had a physical in October, that would have shown the issue."
Houston congressman Morgan Luttrell introduced the bill and is now seeking cosponsors and members of her nonprofit, Gold Star Advocates, to help make it a law.
"As Americans, we must protect the military and keep them safe because they volunteer to keep us safe," Taylor said.
Margie hopes no other parent will have to endure what she has, and that her son's story will encourage current military members to get an in-person physical now.
"He made people's smiles brighter and their laughs louder, and he made their lives better, and I want to continue that," she said.
For updates on the journey, click here.
