Local soldier injured but safe

by Daily Herald Staff Report
Published/Last Modified on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 1:31 PM EDT

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Jean and Mike Reaves are breathing a little easier this afternoon. They talked with their son Willie as he was being treated at a field hospital in no-man’s land — the rugged mountain region linking Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Advertisement
A sergeant with the 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, N.Y., was injured when he and other soldiers tried to reach three comrades whose jeep had been hit by an IED, an improvised explosive device, while near the end of a long, hard patrol, his mother told the Daily Herald.

The jeep Sgt. Reaves was in was just ahead of another when the explosive went off. The jeep was sent down the mountain side. Reaves and three other solders were trying to pull the vehicle back up when everything gave way and tumbled down the mountainside.

The three soldiers in the first jeep were seriously injured. Two were flown to Germany for treatment.

One soldier in Reaves’ jeep was also seriously hurt and sent to Germany.

Early this afternoon, Jean and Mike talked with their soldier son. “It was the best phone call I could have had,” Jean said her voice filled with emotion. She said her son is fine although they are monitoring him for possible head trauma. “I’m worried about his emotional health,” she confided. “He is very worried about the injured soldier.”

Willie grew up in Roanoke Rapids and married his high school sweetheart, Chrissy Paige Reaves. The couple has two children, William, 1, and Cadence, 3.

Willie has been on duty in Afghanistan since January. His brother Michael, a Marine, returned from Afghanistan last weekend.

Copyright © 2010 Roanoke Daily Herald

Comments

    By Stander wrote on Jul 21, 2009 6:44 PM:

    " Just to make a correction. Cadence is 4 years old and Chrissy's Maiden name is Chrissy Page. You all are in my thoughts and prayers! "

Write a Comment

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. They review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The Daily Herald is not liable for messages from third parties.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
* Personal Information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in rrdailyherald.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Daily Herald. The Daily Herald does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Daily Herald spokespersons.

Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.

(optional)
   
 

Contact Us

Contact Us
(252) 537-2505