Landmine explosion hits home to rural America.

[Keith_Hixson]

Truck Hits a land mine.

Audra Hauer from Ellensburg Washington was seriously wounded when the truck in which she was riding hit a land mine. The vehicle was an mission of delivering supplies from Kuwait to Bagdad. The truck hit the land mine just outside Bagdad. The wounds are shrapnel and located in her lower legs and her backside according to Medical Sources. One knee was severely injured and will take more advance care at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. She was a part of the 1161 Transportation Unit, a National Guard Unit based in Ephrated, WA. Audra was from Ellensburg, Washington.



People are still getting killed and wounded in Iraq. Kinda hits home when its a hometown kid.


Keith

[DMZ-LT]

Just got back from the physical terrorist and was feeling sorry for my self when I read your post Kieth. I quit feeling sorry for myself. They all have hometowns, they are our children and they are still on the tip of the spear. God bless them and protect them

[Keith_Hixson]

At our Church's Mid Week Service one of Audra's friends gave us an update on her condition and I learned more about her. I didn't realize people in my congregation knew her and were close to the family.

It seems a large piece of shrapnel hit her in the right leg close to the knee and tore up her leg real bad. Will be lots of reconstructive surgery. She'll probably be in the hospital for at least 3 months maybe up to 6 months. She'll be flown to Walter Reed from Germany. The Army is flying her mother and twin sister to Bethsada, MD to be with her for a couple of weeks.

The family feels very fortunate she is still alive, they said the passenger's side of truck was blown to shreds. The driver of the truck suffered only minor injuries. It seems they were on a well traveled road delivering supplies from Kuwait to the Bagdad area. The mine evidently had been placed there over night because the road was well traveled and they were the first convey to come through in the morning.


Keith

[Keith_Hixson]

Audra Hauer the National Guard Woman from Ellensburg, WA will be moved to Madigan Army Hospital at Ft. Lewis, Washington. Originally, she was to be moved to Walter Reed, but Madigan is much closer to Home and Family and she will receive the same great medical care at Madigan.

Say a prayer for Audra as she goes through many months of surgery and rehabilitation.

Keith


P.S. Almost as many men and women have been hurt or injured in Iraq since the end of the war as were killed at the during major battles. Iraq is still a very dangerous place to serve.