Miracle Marine Loses Final Battle

[Lennon]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24805978

The young Marine came back from the war, with his toughest fight ahead of him.

Merlin German waged that battle in the quiet of a Texas hospital, far from the dusty road in Iraq where a bomb exploded, leaving him with burns over 97 percent of his body.

No one expected him to survive.

But for more than three years, he would not surrender. He endured more than 100 surgeries and procedures. He learned to live with pain, to stare at a stranger's face in the mirror. He learned to smile again, to joke, to make others laugh.

He became known as the "Miracle Man."

[monmouth]

1. God bless him and may he rest in peace....n/t

[patrice]

2. Rest in Peace, Merlin German.

[stray cat]

3. What unites people is generally greater than what separates us

regardless of political ideology. What a valiant battle and a sad outcome.

[Berry Cool]

4. RIP, Merlin.

You fought harder than anyone should ever have to, just to live. You have earned your rest.

"Goodnight, sweet prince..."

[Muttocracy]

5. that made me cry and also laugh at his sense of humor

cry for obvious reasons and laugh at his great sense of humor;


"Guerra says he once joked: "I've been given a second chance. I think I was left here to teach all you people how to dress.""

edit to add as I keep reading

"And kids adored him, including Elder's two young sons. German had a habit of buying them toys with the loudest, most obnoxious sounds — and presenting them with a mischievous smile.

He especially loved his nieces and nephews; the feelings were mutual. One niece remembered him on a Web site as being "real cool and funny" and advising her to "forget about having little boyfriends and buying hot phones" and instead, concentrate on her education."



What a tremendous loss.

[windbreeze]

6. He has gone home...RIP Merlin...n/t

[laylah]

7. Bless his heart.

May he rest in peace :cry: :patriot:

[Aristus]

8. Good night, Marine.

:patriot:

See you in The Morning...

[cornermouse]

9. He died April 11.

I believe the media is now recycling their stories for some reason.

[applegrove]

10. That is so sad.

[Muttocracy]

11. radio interview with his brother and others today:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90746654