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Posted: 5/12/2003 2:11:53 PM EDT
[url=news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=989827]Vet has hope after accident claimed her legs [/url]
 
The first time her 2-year-old son asked to see her legs, Army Sgt. Casaundra Grant refused. When he persisted, Grant relented and showed the boy what remained — two stumps, one above, the other below the knee.

Blane Davis III didn't cry or shriek or hide his eyes.

"The first thing he did, he came over and prayed for my legs," Grant said. "He understood."

Grant, a 1996 graduate of Business Careers, part of Holmes High School, was pinned under a tank that she was helping move in Kuwait on March 12.

She immediately lost her left leg, and eventually her right. But the 25-year-old, who's stationed at Fort Hood, is grateful to have survived.

A single mother, Grant has an easy smile that belies her injuries.

"I have God on my side," she said Thursday at Brooke Army Medical Center, where she's recovering. "I'm not blaming anyone for this accident."

Media-shy until recently, she decided to tell her story.

Grant has been at BAMC for two weeks. She spent more than a month being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. While there, she was able to meet "lots of generals" and President and Mrs. Bush.

"I had everybody important sign my book," she said.

She's undergoing physical therapy and will eventually be fitted for prosthetic legs that will allow her to return to her hobbies, which include working out and shopping.

For now, she keeps in contact with her unit, which remains in Kuwait.

"I miss them; I miss working over there," she said. "We have a family over there."

As soon as her unit returns to the country, they have vowed to visit her, something Grant is looking forward to.

Grant's brother Kris Cosby was at her side at Thursday morning's news conference.

"I love her to death," he said. "I'm real proud of her and glad that she's home."

Grant said she is without bitterness. She said she'd rather focus on recovery.

"I'm just happy I'm alive," she said. "I have to get on with my life."

Grant said she's not sure if she wants to return to her Army career, if she were to be allowed.

"That's a really hard decision," she said. "The Army was fun, but my family's a great power, too."

Shellie Walker, Grant's mother, described her daughter as courageous.

"She's always been my little feisty one," Walker said. "I'm very proud of her — she's my hero."
View Quote
Let's not forget those who served their country and payed a [i]very[/i] high price.
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 2:27:03 PM EDT
[#1]
wow, my hat's off to her.

[USA]
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 2:30:29 PM EDT
[#2]
Another of the Greatest of this Generation!


I salute you!
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 2:36:27 PM EDT
[#3]
My brother's in the Army and knows her from when he was at Ft. Hood. He said that the first day she was in the hospital in Washington, she met a physical therapist who would walk in everyday and talk to her about her injury. After a couple days he revealed that he had been walking around on prosthetics and had basically the same injury she has. That really boosted her spirits. God bless her.
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 3:43:03 PM EDT
[#4]
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 4:46:05 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
Hopefully soon technology will allow these people to stay in the service if they so choose.  A very crisp salute to her.
View Quote


I guess you have never heard of First Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen, USMC.  1stSgt Hamblen lost his leg below the knee during a training jump at Camp Pendelton.  He was blown into high tension power lines, survived electrocution, then cut his lines and fell 50 feet to the ground.  They had to cut off his leg a few days later.  

The docs patched him up, gave him a prosthesis, and he EARNED his way back into Recon, shipped to Vietnam and completed a 30 month tour that included more then 60 Recon missions in North Vietnam.

There is a book about him, "One Tough Marine".  A peg leg didn't slow him down much.
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 6:47:46 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
I guess you have never heard of First Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen, USMC.  

A peg leg didn't slow him down much.
View Quote
However, in this case Sgt. Grant lost TWO legs, one above, and one below the knee.  That makes meeting the physical requirements considerably more difficult.
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 7:17:36 PM EDT
[#7]
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 11:26:31 PM EDT
[#8]
My M1 unit never saw combat- but we killed 5 people by accident.  Thank god I never ran anyone over- had lots of close calls though.
Link Posted: 5/12/2003 11:43:00 PM EDT
[#9]
Who said all combat wounds were only flesh wounds...

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