BAGHDAD - The only thing Staff Sgt. Bobby Henline remembers from that day was having his morning cup of coffee, the next three days are blank.
That day changed Henline’s life forever.
Henline, and his unit with the 573rd, 82nd Airborne Division, were going on a resupply mission in the late afternoon to a forward operation base in Baqubah, Iraq.
“We had just left the gate when the up-armored humvee we were in was struck from underneath,” said Henline. “It was thrown 20 meters and landed upside-down”
“Two of us were medevaced out and we lost the other guy on the way,” he said. “I was the only survivor out of the five guys that were in the vehicle.”
Henline had suffered burns to 38 percent of his body.
“My head was burnt to the skull, my left arm, legs and torso were also burnt badly,” said Henline.
After five months and countless surgeries, Henline was able to go home for the first time.
“Once I got out, I thought I was a burden on my family,” Henline said. “I thought it would be better if fell asleep at night and didn’t wake up. I thought it would be easier on them.”
“Then I had these images in my head that I remembered from when I was in the coma at the hospital,” he said. “It was a giant iceberg that I was on but it wasn’t cold. It was night and I could see the stars. I heard voices that I was going to be all right and that my family is waiting for me.”
“The crazy thing about that is I was atheist,” he said. “I then realized that I was being judged and that God has some bigger plans for me and that is why I’m here. That’s the point when I turned things around and started having a positive attitude all the time.”
With a newfound perspective on life, Henline decided he would try to make his and others lives change for the better.
“I knew I needed to do something since I was here for a reason,” said Henline. “God had a plan for me and he wanted me to be patient.”
Henline had a story written about him online and people left comments about how they were inspired by his positive attitude.
“I took that as a sign that I’m supposed to tell my story,” he said. “If I can talk to a room filled with a hundred people and one person in that room changes their life for the better because they’ve seen what I’ve done, it’s worth it. I feel blessed that I can help others like that.”
Henline has also found another outlet to connect him with others he never thought possible.
“Laughing is one of the best healing medicines we have,” said Henline. “I joke around during physical and occupational therapy to make light of the pain and the other guys. My therapist kept bugging me to do the stand up and I didn’t think anyone would find me funny outside that atmosphere.”
“I finally did it out in Los Angeles and fell in love with it,” he said. “I started doing open mic nights about three times a week in San Antonio and I quickly caught on. I’m able to reach another audience. I can tell my story and inspire others through comedy.”
Henline also works with organizations that specialize in helping wounded veterans overcome any difficulties they might encounter through the healing process.
“I hope to bring awareness of burn survivors, other disfigurements and amputations; to see past the outer skin we have and know that it’s really what’s inside is what makes a person,” he said.
| Date Taken: |
07.01.2011 |
| Date Posted: |
07.07.2011 06:29 |
| Story ID: |
73337 |
| Location: |
BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: |
223 |
| Downloads: |
2 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Seeing the light at the end of a tunnel, by MSG Joseph Vine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
