In April, Marine began fight of life

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/reports/veterans/story/17186.html

In April, Marine began fight of life
By Barbara Barrett | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — Marine Sgt. David "D.J." Emery Jr.'s life snapped into focus on the morning of April 23, two days after his baby girl was born. He studied the lower half of his hospital bed, then turned to his mother and, still unable to speak, mouthed this question: "What the f--- happened to my legs?"

For weeks, the young warrior's mother, his young wife and the doctors in the intensive care unit of the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center outside Washington had kept him clinging to this side of death.

But when Emery discovered that morning that his legs were gone, the fight became his.

He hates it.

It hurts when the physical therapist pushes hard on his stumps. He seals his eyes shut and blows a long, slow curse through his lips, like air seeping from a punctured tire. He’s humiliated when he tries to lift his body into a sitting position, loses his balance and nearly tumbles onto the ground.

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