Wounded American Soldier

[nChrist]

At Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington DC recently the Sergeant Major of the US Army, Jack Tilley was with a group of people visiting wounded Soldiers. He saw a Special Forces Soldier who had lost his right hand and suffered severe wounds to his face and side of his body. The SMA wanted to honor and show him respect without embarrassing him, but what can you say or do in such a situation that will encourage and uplift? How do you shake the right hand of a Soldier who has none? He decided to act as though the hand were not missing and so he tenderly gripped the Soldiers wrist while speaking words of comfort and encouragement to him.

But there was another man in that group of visitors who had even brought his wife with him to visit the wounded and that man knew exactly what to do. He reverently took the Soldier's stump of an arm in both of his hands, bowed at his bedside and prayed for him. When he finished the prayer he stood up, bent over his bedside, and kissed him on the head and told him that he loved him. What an incredible and powerful _expression of love for one of our wounded Soldiers! And what a beautiful Christ-like example! What kind of a man would kneel in such humility and submission to the Living God of the Bible?

That man was the wounded man's Commander-in-Chief, George W. Bush: a true and Godly leader. His actions that day spoke far more loudly than any words he could have spoken - and those words were an Honor to each and every man who has ever given as that wounded Soldier had done.

This story was told by the SMA at a Soldiers Breakfast held at Red Arsenal, AL, and recorded by Chaplain James Henderson who was stationed there. Pass it on...the press won't.

Author Unknown

 

[Edge]

Your post is an embellishment of an actual incident. Your point, whatever it might be, would be better served by the truth.

In the future, I would recommend Snopes for fact-checking.

 

[nChrist]

Your post is an embellishment of an actual incident. Your point, whatever it might be, would be better served by the truth.

In the future, I would recommend Snopes for fact-checking.

I received this E-mail from a family member, and neither of us wrote this. I might or might not trust your source for so-called "fact-checking".

 

[Isaac112086]

oh praise the imperilist, and kill the non-westerener...

 

[loribee59]

This website is similar to Snopes or UL; but with a Christian perspective: So, with this story about Prez Bush and the Soldier, here is the link--

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/bush-tilley.htm

President Bush's Greeting and Prayer for a Wounded Soldier Who Lost His Right Hand-Truth! & Fiction!


Summary of the eRumor
President George W. Bush is described as having held a wounded U.S. soldier's stump, where he had lost his hand, and praying for him. A story told by U.S. Sergeant Major Jack Tilley. The story was related by Chaplain James Henderson of the Association of the U.S. Army, the Redstone Huntsville chapter.


The Truth
A spokesperson for the Sgt. Major Jack Tilley says this story is based on some real events, but is exaggerated.
He says that although both President Bush and Sgt. Major Tilley have both visited wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, they have never done so together.
During one of his visits, Sgt. Major Tilley met a special forces soldier who lost his right hand in an accident involving a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
The soldier offered his limb to Tilley in greeting.
Tilley shook his bandaged arm, presented him with a coin, and said, "God bless you."
A few days later, President Bush visited the hospital, greeted several soldiers and presented many with medals.
Mr. Bush also encountered the same soldier who had lost his right hand.
When the soldier offered his limb in greeting, the president cupped his bandaged arm in both hands, said "God bless you," and kissed the soldier on the forehead, according to Sgt. Major Tilley's spokesperson.


Last updated 7/6/03

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

A story worth sharing...

An unreported story worth sharing... At a recent
Soldiers Breakfast held at Redstone Arsenal, AL,
Sergeant Major of the Army Jack Tilley shared the
following story. (The vignette was captured by James
Henderson, Association of the U.S. Army Redstone
Huntsville Chapter Chaplain. Please distribute far and
wide...it is worth sharing!!)
He (SMA Jack Tilley) described one such recent visit
to our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center
in Washington that I (Chaplain Henderson) will never
forget.

"The Special Forces soldier had lost his right hand
and suffered severe wounds of his face and side of his
body. As SMA Tilley described, how do you honor such a
soldier, showing respect without offending?

What can you say or do in such a situation that will
encourage and uplift? How do you shake the right hand
of a soldier who just lost his? Finally he told how he
acted as though the man had a hand, taking his wrist
as though it were his hand and speaking encouragement
to him.

But he said there was another man in that group of
visitors who had even brought his wife with him to
visit the wounded who knew exactly what to do. This
man reverently took this soldier's stump of a hand in
both of his hands, bowed at the bedside and prayed for
him. When he stood from praying he bent over and
kissed the man on the head and told him he loved him.

What a powerful _expression of love for one our
wounded heroes! And what a beautiful Christ-like
example! What kind of man would kneel in such humility
and submission to the Living God of the Bible?

It was George W. Bush, President of the United States
and Commander in Chief of our Armed forces, a man who
understands and follows his chain of command, a leader
God has given us.

~loribee59

 

[nChrist]

oh praise the imperilist, and kill the non-westerener...

A simple thanks to the liberators is sufficient.

 

[nChrist]

Thanks for the links to check rumors and/or urban legands. I receive a ton of E-mail from friends, family, and other sources every day. I doubt that I will have the time to check all of them, but it is interesting to know these sites exist. Thanks again.