The Extraordinary Love of an Army Wife

I have a friend who is extraordinary.  She is beautiful and wise and among the strongest women I've ever known.  She is my sweet friend, a trusted confidante, a tried-and-true battle buddy.  Together we have laughed and cried and worried and prayed and then somehow managed to laugh again.  We spent only two years together in the same physical location but some people, and some events, simply bond you for a lifetime.

I want to tell you her story.

I first met my friend when our husbands were both assigned to the same unit.  The unit trained and deployed together, leaving spouses behind to support and encourage one another through the separation.  And we did.  We planned family nights, hosted fundraisers, sent packages and banners to our Soldiers, watched each other's kids, enjoyed ladies' night dinners, and anxiously awaited the return of our heroes.

We welcomed our heroes home and enjoyed the thrill of a unit reunited.  We continued to bond as a group and planned fun events for Soldiers and Families.  We celebrated the amazing successes of our unit's deployment and applauded spouses and children for thriving during a difficult deployment.  It seemed that all was right with the world again.

It was during this time of joy that tragedy struck.  A simple morning of standard Army Physical Training ended with a horrific accident and the injury of my friend's husband.  He is a combat medic, one of the best, and his medic comrades took great care in getting him immediate treatment; however, we soon learned that his injury was much worse than we ever could have imagined.

He had sustained a traumatic brain injury and spent weeks in ICU undergoing surgeries, an induced coma, and constant evaluations.  Multiple times during the first weeks, my friend was told that her husband would not make it and was advised to say her final goodbyes.

Throughout these agonizing times, she was absolutely amazing.  With three small children at home and her life in sudden turmoil, she was the absolute pillar of strength.  Making heart-wrenching decisions, enduring unimaginable stress, and facing the biggest fear of her life, she showed nothing but unconditional love and devotion to her husband.  Her family and friends and faith somehow provided her with superhuman strength.

Just weeks into this life-changing ordeal, she learned that she was expecting the couple's fourth child.  Her hero husband was evaluated and accepted into a Rehabilitation Center, and life continued on for her, one day at a time.

For the past year, this beautiful woman has been tried and tested in every possible way.  Her phenomenal love for her husband and dedication to her children has been completely awe-inspiring to see.  She delivered a healthy baby girl and had three very excited older brothers.  Her husband continues to heal and rehabilitate.   We are fervently hopeful that his recovery will experience miraculous progress and that he will be able to communicate and enjoy his beautiful family once again.  Until that amazing moment, we continue to pray for this extraordinary family that we love so much.

Me with my amazing friend