Hero's Welcome In Flat Rock For Paralyzed Soldier
FLAT ROCK (WWJ) - A downriver soldier injured in the Middle East by a roadside bomb has returned home to a hero's welcome.
- A hero's welcome (credit: Ellen Dulecki)
Serving in the military was something 20-year-old Christopher Ochs of Flat Rock had envisioned for himself as far back as elementary school while playing with his GI Joe.
Ochs got his wish, but after just over a year-and-a-half in uniform, his life changed dramatically.
"We were on our way back from a police station, on our way to a FOB (forward operating base). On the way back, our convoy was hit by an IED (improvised explosive device). It was buried in the ground," said Ochs.
That attack, April 6th, left Ochs paralyzed from the waist down. But he was all smiles, Friday, as he was greeted by the crowd family, friends and police officers who lined the street to welcome him home.
"It was definitely overwhelming ... a little bit expected, because my family and friends like to do stuff like this. But, just to see so many people and the police and the firefighters here, it's very overwhelming," Ochs said.
Ochs has been awarded a awarded a Purple Heart for his service.
