DaytonDailyNews.com

Snow Mendelsohn said her cousin, Jedinko Markanovic, has had a difficult life because of the war in Bosnia.

That area of the world is tied to the Miami Valley forever because of the Dayton Peace Accords, the U.S.-brokered settlement negotiated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to end the war in Bosnia in 1995.

"My cousin has a wonderful wife, Spomenka, and two daughters, 16-year-old Suncica, 16, and Andrea, who is 11. He supported his family by working as a builder," Snow Mendelsohn said.

"He spent about six years fighting in the war in Bosnia, where he spent many hours digging trenches and living in them, spending a lot of his time stooping over."

Mendelsohn, who moved from Bosnia to the United States in 1976, said, "When the Dayton Peace Accords were signed and the war ended, Jedinko moved his family from Bosnia to Croatia and taught himself how to construct stone buildings. He became quite proficient at it. But along the way he suffered a back injury."

Mendelsohn said the rigors of construction work took a toll on her cousin's damaged back.

"He soon couldn't lift five pounds or stand more than 10 minutes without excruciating pain," Mendelsohn said. "Physical therapy didn't solve anything, and so for the last year he has been unable to work and make a living."

Mendelsohn said she asked her cousin to send X-rays and scans from Croatia, which she shared with her husband, a physician who is a colleague of Scott West, a back specialist.

"When Dr. West told us that Jedinko needed the screws and rods to stabilize his injury, we knew that such surgery is not available in Croatia," Mendelsohn said. "Then we were overwhelmed when Dr. West offered to do the procedure free."

Mendelsohn and her husband paid for her cousin to fly to Dayton as Grandview officials stepped up to help make the operation successful.

Roy G. Chew, president of Grandview, said, "It is very rewarding to be able to help someone in this way. We feel very fortunate to have caring, kindhearted physicians like Dr. West."

Scott West said he was pleased to help Markanovic.

"This is why I got into medicine," he said. "This procedure should allow Jedinko to get back to work and support his family. I am happy that Grandview and the Abbott folks have stopped up and supported this in a very significant way."

Jedinko, who will recuperate with his cousin's family in Cincinnati before returning to his family in Croatia, said through an interpreter: "For the past year, I have been extremely depressed. I was embarrassed as a man because my wife has had to take care of us and we had to borrow money from relatives to pay rent."

But now, he said, things have changed in Dayton, his city of hope.

"Thanks to this help from so many in Dayton I will be working with my hands again. I can play with my daughters. I can be happy again."

Dale Huffman wants your suggestions and story ideas. He'd like to share a story about you, your family, or a friend. This column is for you. Send e-mail to dhuffman@

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