IED Victim Rebounds from Burns

[thedrifter]

Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans —“The lead vehicle called back to me that they had spotted a suspicious piece of metal off to the right side of the road. When I picked up the handset to tell the rest of the convoy, my Humvee was engulfed in flames.”

This Improvised Explosive Device explosion sent Sgt. William Edwards on a journey from Iraq to Oklahoma, through Texas and across active duty and Reserve lines.

Edwards’ convoy was on its way back to base Dec. 9, 2006, after a three day patrol, when those life changing flames engulfed his vehicle. With third degree burns covering 40 percent of his body, Edwards was returned stateside and admitted to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Doctors used skin from his left forearm for a graft treatment, and his family and friends joined him at hospital, where he began to heal.

“My family was crucial to the beginning of my recovery,” said Edwards, “I owe them many thanks for taking care of me during those first four months.”

While on convalescent leave, his friend and retired Marine Brendan Fitzgerald introduced him to Maj. Michael Purcell, Inspector and Instructor, Anti-Tank Training Co., based in Broken Arrow, Okla. Edwards offered his expertise to Purcell and was invited to work with the Anti-Tank Training Co. Marines.

The opportunity paid dividends to both Edwards and the Broken Arrow Marines.

Edwards organized the shop and set up procedures to simplify gear distribution during drill periods. He made sure the same equipment was being used in the same vehicles so Marines would instinctively know where everything was and how to use it. He also helped train the incoming communications chief and put all of his communications knowledge into binders as reference material.

“I wanted to make his job easier, and I began to organize the communications shop in a manner that would allow future inspections to be less stressful,” said Edwards.

Working in the communications shop at Broken Arrow also helped Edwards recover from his injuries.

“1st Sgt. Gerardo Ochoa, who recently retired, along with Maj. Purcell, allowed me to slowly rebuild myself at their unit,” said Edwards. “It was a crucial part of my recovery.”

In addition to mental stimulus, Edwards began to push himself physically. Just nine months after the incident in Iraq, he completed a Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test.

Since then, Edwards has begun running endurance events, including the Marine Corps Marathon.

He decided to “just go for it” with the marathon after receiving encouragement from a friend who had also been injured in Iraq.

Memories of his comrades who died in Iraq, motivated Edwards to finish the marathon.

“I’m still alive,” he would tell himself, “I have to keep going, because they can’t.”

He later joined Team Semper Fi, a group of Marines injured in Iraq who compete in several different events, like marathons, to raise money for injured veterans.

Edwards spends much of his time at Brooke Army Medical Center helping wounded warriors recover.

“As tough as it is for me to volunteer for these visits, I know it’s crucial to give them strength now and make them understand that if I pulled through, they can too,” said Edwards. “As Marines, we take care of our own, not only on the battlefield, but also in dark hospital rooms where our brothers may find themselves.”