Letter from father of a wounded soldier

[BenGarrett]

I received this email today that was written by a fellow from here in Tennessee. He is a maintenance technician in a small town here and his son was badly injured when his humvee was destroyed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. I don't think he would mind me sharing this. It's an interesting read, to say the least, and I figured I'd pass it on:


I wanted to give you all an update on Ryan and some observations from my last five weeks. Ryan continues to get better day by day. Baby steps is the right connotation I guess. At this time he only has about 1/4 of the shoulder movement that he should, but it gets better each day. He gets a little stronger each day, even though if he keeps down one meal a day he is doing good. He has physical therapy and occupational therapy 5 times a week for about an hour apiece. It leaves him exhausted and in serious need of pain medicine, but the progress is showing. He is moving his elbow a little and fighting scar tissue there, but again the progress is showing. He has IV antibiotics 5 times a day to fight the 3 strains of bacteria that he was graciously given by the Iraqi soil after the humvee was blown up. His latest test for these bacteria was negative, but the antibiotics will continue for 3 more weeks to make sure that none of it is hiding in his bones or tissue. His skin grafts have taken well and the donor sites are healing well. He is expected to be here 3-6 months as his healing continues.

The staff and doctors at Bethesda and Walter Reed are absolutely amazing in their expertise and caring. After one of Ryan's longest surgeries, the anestesiologist teared up when talking to us about how the operation went. They realize that they are working to save the lives of some of the finest young men this country has, and they take their jobs very seriously. They cannot help but become personally involved. Since my arrival here, I have seen countless stories of both tragedy and miracle happening around me. These young men are incredibly strong and resilient. They have great powers of recovery. No wonder us old guys don't fight wars.

Last Tuesday, on my way back to the hotel here on base, I saw a lady very upset and crying. I stopped and asked if I could help and she told me that next day she was going to have to decide whether or not to pull the plug on her son's life support systems. She said that the doctors had told her that his brain activity had stopped and that he had no chance of recovery. The next day he squeezed her hand when she talked to him. The day after that he opened his eyes. This week he is on the road to recovery. At Bethesda, several weeks ago, a mother was told that her son would be in a coma for several years. He was blind in both eyes and had severe frontal lobe damage. Before I left Bethesda last week, he was walking around. These Marines and soldiers are incredible. They laugh and joke about their injuries and can't wait to get out of here to begin again in their new life.

I have seen tragedy too. One of Ryan's buddies that came over to Bethesda with him had a badly manlged leg. He went through 5 surgeries trying to save it but to no avail. Last week they had to take it off at the knee, and yet he is still in good spirits. Ryan's roommate, who has lost a leg, and had a badly mangled arm, had to be told last week that the 7 guys that were killed in the car bomb explosion in Baghdad were from his platoon, and then we received a call from a lady Trish knows 2 days ago telling her that this young man's best friend had just been badly wounded. We informed his dad so he could break the news.

Every day, despite the bad news and the setbacks, you see God at work here and I believe it's been a life changing experience for me. We get calls from all over the states from people that we don't even know and have had E-mails from as far away as Slovenia (where is that anyway). There are so many people out there that want to help in any small way. It has certainly reaffirmed my faith in mankind.

Why this war had to happen or why my son was one of the injured are questions I can not answer, but if anyone thinks that the leadership of this country doesn't know the consequences of their actions, let me say this. We have been visited by the Secretary of Defense and the Assistant Secretary of Defense twice. The President's personal physicaian has come to check on Ryan. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs invited us to his home last weekend. Mrs. Rumsfeld bought us lunch 2 days ago. The Chairman of the House Financial Committee has visited Ryan twice. One of the Senate Armed Services Committee members visited yesterday. The Commandant of the Marine Corps personally gave Ryan his Purple Heart and the Assistant Commandant visited him twice. I have not even mentioned the countless generals and congressmen that have visited. So to those who think that our leadership is not aware, bull****. I have seen their wives cry while talking to my son! I have seen the looks in their eyes also.

So how do I feel and did my son give his arm in vain? Let me just say that this war is a long lasting one. It is a holy war that has been going on for a long time and is only getting worse. This country has been under attack for years and only recently did they manage to attack us on our own soil. But, we have retailiated in the only way that will protect our country, and that is by taking the fight back to their homeland, to keep them reeling and unable to attack here. Anyone that thinks that they won't attack when we let our guard down, is seriously mistaken. No, Ryan did not give his arm in vain, he gave it for his country so all of us could sleep at night without fear.

Rick.

[lamb1647]

No, Ryan did not give his arm in vain, he gave it for his country so all of us could sleep at night without fear.

Ben,

WOW!!! I can see why people tear up when they meet these young men. I teared up just reading this email from the father of this brave young Marine! I praise the Lord for each and every man and woman that have sacrificed to serve their country to protect our liberties!! Liberties that the Liberal politicians would take away if they had their way. We as a people must stand united and say NO! Our young people have sacrificed too much to preserve our liberties for you to just take them away by casting a vote. Cast your vote in November and eliminate a Liberal!!!

Bill

[NUMBERFARMER]

I am kind of a big old weathered brute, but this letter brought tears to my eyes. Every day I try to spend time praying for these men and women who have put their lives on the line to protect the freedom and heritage that we have here in America. Unfortunately I agree that this war has been going on for quite some time and will continue, but young men like this one and fathers like this bring great encouragement to me. We have reason to be proud of the people in our military. Sure some of them have made a few mistakes, but where else in the world has such freedom been preserved by the efforts of mostly volunteers? We have good people in this nation, and this young man and his father are an example of some of the great people we have in this nation. Thanks for sharing such a personal letter, it truly was a blessing!

[CalHunter]

Ben, please pass on a Semper Fi and a big God Bless to your friend. I teared up reading this letter and it makes me even prouder of the people who still volunteer to defend our country. God bless each and every one of them!!!

[Tazman]

Ben once again I find my self typing with teared up eyes! My heart goes out to this father and all of our service people and thier parents, but as this father put so well, It is not in vain! Let the people talk about us having no business being there, these folks need to quit watching the news and start talking to people who have been over there, the vast majority of Iraqis are ecstatic that we are there and the majority of them do live in peace. The majority of the militants are not even Iraqis!

I am very proud of every one of our men and women serving our country today, I mourn the lose of every one that has been killed and pray for those wounded. Let them all know that this was not in vain.

My son will not be deployed again, due to old football injuries and humping a pack along with a radio for 6 months in Operation Iraqi Freedom and then 6 months in Afghanistan both of his shoulders are shot. When he rotates them it sounds like a pepper mill grinding pepper! They may have to do surgery to repair the damage that has been done to them.

Ben tell Ryans dad that we are darn proud of Ryan and to tell him Semper Fi!