'Most severely wounded' soldier endures: blind, quadriplegic, struggling to breathe

International Herald Tribune ^ | 6/23/07

[LibWhacker]

TAMPA, Florida: He lies flat, unseeing eyes fixed on the ceiling, tubes and machines feeding him, breathing for him, keeping him alive. He cannot walk or talk, but he can grimace and cry. And he is fully aware of what has happened to him.

Four years ago almost to this day, Joseph Briseno Jr. was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range in a Baghdad marketplace. His spinal cord was shattered, and cardiac arrests stole his vision and damaged his brain.

The 24-year-old is one of the most severely injured soldiers — some think the most injured soldier — to survive.

[Cindy]

He is probably in the hospital which was noted in the article.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Miracles happen! Anything is possible if God wills it. I will pray for this brave man, that he be healed or relieved of his suffering.

Here is the video you referenced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwW9L_qzqp8

[BlueSky194]

“All our savings, all our money, was just emptied ... the 401(k)s, everything,” said Joseph Briseno, who took a new job a year and a half ago to make ends meet.

Does someone have an address to send these people money.

[Screamname]

"All our savings, all our money, was just emptied ... the 401(k)s, everything," said Joseph Briseno, who took a new job a year and a half ago to make ends meet.

Tell me this is not because our government will not pay 100% of his medical bills.

[Pegita]

“We’re so lucky to have him. He was a very good son from the very beginning. God gave Jay to us and he’s a blessing to us.”

Thank You, Most Merciful Father, for the love of these parents for their child ... how grateful they are to see him and touch him and talk with him, and how they cling to the hope that You would work yet another miracle in their beloved son's life. May they rest confident and secure in Your Words ... in Your hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10.

Sustain this truly heroic family, O God, that they would continue to show forth the Words of the Book of Ecclesiastes ~ Chapter 3~

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Amen and Amen ...

[Cindy]

and Amen.

[PGalt]

America’s finest.

life

[Pajamajan]

Prayers offered. Lord, please Bless this young man and his family, give them strength, be the calm in the storm , and let them find rest in You, as they work toward some recovery and healing for him- In the name of Jesus, I Pray-Amen.

It seems a little bit of good news that he has recovered some small functions. They are facing a long slow process, but eventually , it will get easier.

If this thread is shown to his family:

Perhaps the young man could be encouraged to make one sound for "yes" and two for "no", as a possible way to have some communication? The article mentions he can make some sounds, and is aware- Just a thought.

Reading to him , talking to him, can help calm him . Put TV quiz shows, like "Jeopardy", or "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", on in the room.
(Even if a person can't respond-IMO- they are listening-Maybe this helps to take their minds off their discomforts for a while?)

HERE
is a link to a veteran's organization dealing with spinal cord injuries
(I found this by doing a web search.)

Could someone find out if there is an address where we can send cards for him, and his family?

[tupac]

There is a book written after WW1 about a soldier who was similarly left in this condition, “Johnny Got His Gun”. It made a resurgance towards the end of the Vietnam War with the anti-war crowd.

[Lillee]

God Bless this young man and his family. I will pray for them all.

[FormerLib]

Praying that he knows peace is preferable to praying for him to die.

[jwpjr]

What frosts my soft parts is that we are sending $70 million dollars to one of the sides in the Palestinian ‘dispute’ to buy arms to ‘stabilize’ the situation. How in God’s name, literally, can we send one damned dime to these people when fallen American heroes and their families need anything, ANYTHING at all?

I am disgusted by our government at every level. I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but it’s time to give this government, starting with those traitors at the State Dept. and CIA, an enema.

God bless this man and his family. There are simply no words to express the frustration I am experiencing with the pussy-footing around with this war and especially with Iran.

I will rotate my prayers for this fallen hero and his family with supplications that our country will find the political will to handle this situation in a way that will be more successful than the approach used so far.

[jwpjr]

Thank you for asking. I wondered the same thing and will certainly contribute to such a fund if someone can tell me where. Prayers are important, but this family needs financial support as well. Hopefully we can raise enough to handle their needs for their son PLUS get their retirement accounts back up to snuff.

God bless them!

[LucyJo]

Praying for the Jay Briseno and his mom and dad.

When I think of what this young man, and his family, has sacrificed for this country...when I think about the sacrifices and suffering they still endure, and I think of the tax dollars that are wasted, and the millions received by those who aren’t worthy of getting one free penny....

[Obadiah]

As I choke back the tears from this story, I echo your prayer.

[Obadiah]

Please ping me if you find out.

[Hydroshock]

Prayers sent

[DumpsterDiver]

Jay's Journey -- This is the site that Jay Briseno's parents maintain for him. It includes news of Jay's progress, photos of him, and a guest book.

[TChris]

Anyone else thinking of Metallica’s “One”?

Yep. And "One" was inspired by the book Johnny Got His Gun, by Dalton Trumbo.

[reagan_fanatic]

Oh my God.

You will be in my prayers, brave warrior.