Wounded Paratrooper Reunites with Unit at All American Week
(May 23, 2009) |
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Army Sgt. John Hoxie, of the 82nd Airborne Division's 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment attends a reception following an award ceremony May 19, 2009, at Fort Bragg, N.C. Hoxie received the Bronze Star medal at the ceremony for his heroism while on a 2007 deployment to Iraq. Army photo by Pfc. Kissta M. Feldner
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FORT BRAGG, N.C., May 20, 2009 -- Of all the people who gathered on a gray
and rainy Monday morning to watch the 82nd Airborne Division
kick off its annual All American Week celebration with a
division cohesion run, perhaps no one faced more obstacles
to be there than Army Sgt. John Hoxie.
Hoxie, 24, lost his left arm and leg to an improvised
explosive device while serving with the 82nd in Iraq in
2007. For almost two years, he has been recovering from his
wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Silver Spring,
Md. Despite his injuries, and the fact that he was only
recently cleared to travel by his doctors, the Philippi,
W.Va., native was determined take part in this year's
celebration.
The morning of the run, Hoxie watched the runners pass by
from his motorized wheelchair. He showed little sign of the
emotions that were running through him. It was only when
paratroopers from his unit let out a cheer that Hoxie
cracked a smile.
“I'm just glad to be here. It's been a goal for a while,” he said. “Other people [at Walter
Reed] are like, ‘I can't wait to get out.' But I
can't wait to get back.” |
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Hoxie's battalion commander, Army Lt. Col.
Patrick Hynes, said Hoxie is a role model for soldiers
everywhere.
“After all his injuries and the rehabilitation he's been
through, he still wants nothing more than to be a part of
the unit. That says it all about him and about the kind of
unit he belongs to,” Hynes said.
Although All American Week was the first time Hoxie has been
back to Fort Bragg since being injured, he never came off
the rolls at his unit -- Company C, 1st Battalion, 325th
Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. And
Hoxie never stopped thinking of himself as a part of the
team.
“I try to think of myself as just a regular soldier with a
mission to do,” he said.
Hoxie was doing his mission on Aug. 20, 2007, on a combat
foot patrol in Iraq, when he stepped on a pressure-activated
explosive.
“It felt like time was moving really slow . . . I started to
call out ‘IED!' but it blew up,” he said.
Hoxie's friend, Army Staff Sgt. Evan Mace, was the first
person to reach him after the explosion.
“His leg was disintegrated, and his hand was missing,” Mace
said.
Hoxie was evacuated to a hospital in Baghdad, where he was
stabilized, and then transported back to the United States
for treatment. At Walter Reed, he underwent a grueling
series of surgeries, and had to make the agonizing decision
to have his left hand amputated to be fitted with a
prosthetic. Then the really hard work began – relearning how
to do everyday tasks with two artificial limbs.
“It was like going back to being an 18-month-old again,”
Hoxie said.
Previously simple tasks such as tying shoelaces or using a
knife and fork took on new dimensions of difficulty.
“It's times like that where it can be a little annoying,”
Hoxie said with typical understatement.
Through it all, he never got discouraged, and never stopped
thinking of himself as a member of the Airborne Infantry. He
kept in regular contact with his unit, and focused on the
goal of recovering from his injuries and returning as soon
as possible to regular duty.
“You've got two choices. You can either lay down and quit,
or you can stand up and fight through your problems and
overcome them,” he said.
In April, Hoxie was able to walk upright with the use of
canes, and he expects to be able to walk without any support
in a few weeks. Throughout his struggle, Hoxie's
never-say-die attitude has been an inspiration for his
fellow paratroopers.
“He's just a great soldier,” Mace said.
The emotional highlight of Hoxie's return to Fort Bragg came
yesterday when he was awarded the Bronze Star by his brigade
commander in front of his unit.
As sweet as that moment was, Hoxie has his eyes set on
another milestone – he wants to be able to run with his unit
during next year's All American Week division run.
“That's my goal for next year,” he said. | |
By Army Sgt. Carlos Valdez
Multinational Division Baghdad with the 93rd Military Police
Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade
Special to American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2009
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