I believe that my nephew Cameron, Congo to all that know him in the military, deserves this because he has been through so much in his short military career. He graduated basic at Fort. Leonardwood MO. with a 104 degree temp. He was so sick but wouldn’t say anything because he didn’t want to “wimp” out. We got back home to Va. and he became sicker. He ended up in the ER with Pnuemonia and 5 bags of fluids. He still had to go to his first base, Hawaii. My sister, his mom, got a call after he arrived that the military was flying her there because he was in ICU with chest tubes and back tubes. She was with him there for over a week. But he was tough through the whole ordeal. He hated that it made him weak. He eventually got better.

Then he was sent to Afghanistan and was in one IED blast but as he said ” it wasn’t a big deal mom”. After a couple of months, his mom received that dreaded call that all parent’s are terrified of. Cameron had been critically wounded in an IED blast and they weren’t sure if he was going to make it. Our world was forever changed.

When she finally spoke to him in Germany, he said ” Mom, I want you here now and Mom…Gross was killed.” Sgt Gross was his best friend that was in the passenger seat of the truck that Cam was driving. He was killed instantly. He struggled so badly with that. All of the stories that she was told was that Cam couldn’t move but kept screaming to know about the other guys that were with him. Were they safe? Where were they? He was flown to San Antonio Texas to Brooke Army Medical Center and has been receiving the best care possible. She was there with him the day after he arrived.

The worst of his injuries were that his spleen was punctured and had to be removed, his hip was broken and his entire right arm was shattered. We thought he was going to lose it..but due to the wonderful surgeons..his arm is now mostly plates and screws..but he is able to keep it. He has a long road of therapy, but he is alive. As a mom, she wanted him out of the Army, but this had made him stronger and he will not leave his fellow soldiers. The Army is his life now, his career.

My nephew went in a young man and has now become my hero. I couldn’t be more proud of him. My sister raised Cam mostly as a single mom and always wanted the best for him. GOD BLESS all of our soldiers!!!!!