New House From Homes For Troops for Home Town Hero Cpl Josh Sams

Hi, I'm Matt Swindler and Josh Sams is my buddy. Actually, he's more than that; He's my best friend. Josh and I met in 2nd grade and have been like long friends since. In 2006 after a long nights debate on the pros and cons of serving our country Josh and I decided to join the Marine Corps. Well we took that big step, signed the papers, got sworn in, and wouldn't you know it, they messed up the buddy program. Following boot camp and our School of Infantry we were stationed on different ends of the US. I was stationed in Kaneohe bay Hawaii and Josh in Camp Lejeune NC. I deployed to Fallujah Iraq for 6 months then 7 months in Helmand province Afghan. After proudly serving my 4 difficult years, I was ready to come home to Wilmington and settle in with my wife. Josh on the other hand deployed to Afghan twice, had fallen in love with being a sniper and reenlisted; going on a third deployment. It was during that time Josh stepped on a land mind and lost his legs. Back in the states it was impossible to cope with this news. I was already suffering from PTSD and my own physical ailments from my experiences deployed. I had to do like all his friends and family and just waited in shock for my friend to get back into the States where I knew he would be taken care of by the best doctors in the world for his injuries. The day after he arrived at Walter Reed, I met up his/my other Mother Barb, his wife/good friend Lindsey, and as well as our other Best of best friend Navy sailor Dosh Page. For a large part of his stay at Walter Reed I made it a point to come visit Josh and Lindsey almost every other weekend, money and time providing. I spent many hours and miles on the road, but my wife, Amanda, as well as other friends like Jordan Martin and Justin Fox kept me company and sane while watching the strongest man I'd ever known slowly recover. Luckily my Brother and Sister inlaw are doctors at Walter Reed and thankfully housed me during those trips. It took a fraction of the time for Josh to get back on his feet as it did other men in his condition. I cried when I seen the video Lindsey posted on the first day he walked on his own. One thing was for sure, I was ready for my good buddy to get what was left of his ass home to our good ol' Wilmington Ohio. It's the only place I imagined raising a family (16 month old twin girls for now) and hanging with my brother in arms, Josh, for the rest of our days. Finally after over a year recovering Josh was discharged from the Marine Corps and was free to come home to us all. When I first heard that homes for troops were building a home for Josh I was ecstatic. I knew the great job they had already done building a home for Larry Draughn, a fellow Marine buddy of ours who lost his legs and resides in Fairborn. I was also curious to where they would end up locating a lot to start building. Even growing up, aside from college, Josh and I never lived more than 10 minuets from each other. Fate had it in mind to get the two of us close together again and I'm happy to say I'll now live less that 5 minuets away from Josh on Center Road! Going through what he and I did is not an easy task to come home and talk about (especially Josh with his injuries). PTSD restricts me in many ways, but with my battle buddy Josh down the road to diffuse with, it is going to make the rest of my life that much richer and therapeutic. I love nothing more than sitting down, drinking a beer, and talking war stories with him. As well as all the other old hobbies just like we did growing up in this wonderful piece of Southern Ohio. I can't thank this community enough for all the help, love, praise, and support they have shown my friend. I truly, truly thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I've started a booster and designed a shirt to sell to raise funds to buy Josh a house warming gift. Not sure what it will be yet because it depends on how many shirts I sell and what donations come in, I I assure you it will be something nice and that he would want. I have to sell a minimum of 75 shirts to have the booster page print and send out the first of the shirts, so if we're quick enough with this first bit we might have them in time for the May 2nd volunteer day. I'm asking as many people to come that day to throw some sod or mulch and say "Hi" to Josh. information about May 2 can be found by typing in your facebook search "volunteer day for Cpl Josh Sams". No worries if we haven't received the shirts by that day, because the booster stays open until May14, and that will be enough time for them to be in for the Key Ceremony day which Homes for Our Troops will be announcing soon. On that day Josh will formally be given the keys to his new HOME. His little slice of Wilmington Ohio. Once again, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your support for Marine Corporal Josh Sams - My best friend and our Home Town Hero.

For more about Josh's story, please visit the link below from the Wilmington News Journal. 
http://wilmingtonnewsjournal.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1859396&CategoryID=80772&ListS...