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The other night I spent several hours in a "duck and cover!" It was my first time in one. There were no such safe-havens in 2003. I had my mattress and my Brent! (SrA Brent Skeen)
Inside the duck and cover, my home away from home, I met several new friends. You'd be amazed what people want to talk about when mortars are falling from the sky. One Soldier's wife called...He had to hung up on her. Others where talking about how close they were falling, or where they were last time. A few of them were talking about the injuries and deaths they've seen caused by mortars.
Someone asked me what I did, so I told them I was the morning show host on Freedom Radio, 107.7 Baghdad, 107.3 Balad....My story continued as I told them about the original crew who set AFN Iraq up in 2003. From there...Al Rasheed...October 26th. I get chills to this day when I think of the horrifying events of the day. As I told my story a man chimed in..."You helped Paula didn't you?" I sad who is Paula. He replied, "The civilian that was injured!" I asked if she had blond hair, and if she was the one who had her arm blown off. The answer...YES! "Her name is Paula, and because of all of those who provided medical attention to her...she has her arm today." Turns out, the doctors were able to reattach Paula's arm.
I visited the Al Rasheed yesterday. Many of the merchants who set up shop in 2003 are still there, but other than that, the Rasheed is a shell of itself. I too was a shell of my former self...until now. Today, I know who the lady was I helped in her time of need...Paula. Little did I know my actions would have such an impact on someones life. Little does Puala know that her story has also changed mine.