Dedication to a fallen Marine. (My hero) PLEASE READ!!!

[goldcanyonaz]

A Marine who survived being burned over more than 95 percent of his body in Iraq and established a charity to help burned children has died, the military has announced.
art.german.ap.jpg

Marine Sgt. Merlin German, seen in May 2007, died last month of complications after surgery.

Sgt. Merlin German was 22.

He was severely wounded February 21, 2005, en route to Camp Ramadi when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb.

He was not expected to survive, but he was transported to Germany and then to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, which has the U.S. military's top burns unit.

He spent nine months in intensive care and underwent more than 100 operations.

German moved out of the hospital into his own home after 17 months of treatment.

He founded Merlin's Miracles, a charity that aims "to assist burned children and their families to take vacations, trips, outings or anything the families needed to make life a little easier," according to its Web site.

German died April 11 at Brooke Army Medical Center of complications after surgery. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/02/obit.miracle.marine/index.html

[DS1]

1. R.I.P. and Rec.

[Oceansaway]

2. R I P...n/t

[ClayZ]

3. R.I.P.

K and R

[Faygo Kid]

4. I hate this fucking war. I hate we're not talking about it. I don't hate much. But this, I hate.

Oh yes, I am a Bush hater, too.

Did he dance some more today? Tell a few jolks to Inside-the-Beltway "journalists?"

Rest in peace, Sgt. German. Next one who tells me to vote for Nader gets a punch in the nose.

[AlCzervik]

5. Rest in Peace Sgt. German

[TacticalPeek]

6. Roger that.

The Few, the Proud

http://www.merlinsmiracles.com/

[malaise]

7. What a waste of a life

Thanks George.

[goldcanyonaz]

8. NOT a waste of a life. He is a hero for children now. visit his website.

I know what you are saying, but his life was not wasted.

[Truth2Tell]

9. K&R

This post should be at the TOP of the greatest.

[goldcanyonaz]

10. KICK!

[catnhatnh]

11. Burned blacks lose melanin...which is in the top skin layers..

and when burned badly look almost white...
much closer to most us who transported them back then
who were mostly pretty white...
And I wonder, am I sicker for having learned this
which teaches you how close we are...
Or because it took that to teach me...
Ct EMT 86-243

[goldcanyonaz]

12. We are all one in death, as we are in life. Most never knew he was black either.

He is a HERO!

[Bozita]

13. His story was reported on ABC World News tonight. So goddamned sad.

RIP

[goldcanyonaz]

14. KICK! please visit his website.

[Contrary1]

15. My cousin suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns

over 90% of his body several years ago. I held his hand and talked to him when he was in a coma. I encouraged him when he was thinking about giving up. I have seen his suffering firsthand, and still cannot imagine what it must be like.

Godspeed Sgt.German. I am so very sorry.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goldcanyonaz]

17. FUCK YOU! I will pay for your ticket from Tucson to Baghdad.

He gave his life so you would not have to.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goldcanyonaz]

19. His terrible choice? To serve his country? Thank G-D you are in the minority.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goldcanyonaz]

21. Just so we are clear. This was a great man, this was my cousin.

Can you not afford to donate to this site?

[tsdraegeth]

23. Do they help burned Iraqi kids also?

And no, I am not intending to donate. It sounds like a nice cause, though. What kind of organization is it? I didn't catch much operating info from the front of the website.

You can PM if you want to get through, I'm out for tonight.

PS: Like I said, I am sorry your cousin went. I hope you can understand that, despite the more immediate nature of American casualties, I try to remember the unspoken names, too, so my immediate reaction to some terrible story is not as directly emotional to what everyone else tends to be focusing on. Some of us have to remember the unspoken. There are a whole lot of dreams out there that got crushed. Hard to blow one up from the more privileged* side and not think of all the forgotten ones from the less privileged, that will never get their mention. Hard to see the M$M use your cousin to generate some ad revenue and not question the hypocrisy of the story and the positioning. Makes me sick all around.

*Compared to post-sanction Iraq.

RIP MM.

[goldcanyonaz]

22. KICK!

[Booster]

24. RIP, Sgt. German. You didn't deserve this. Damn you, Bush.

[JerseygirlCT]

25. That poor man. I don't think there's anything quite as painful as

serious burns. And 95%? I don't know how he survived that long - just from the pain alone.

RIP.

[annabanana]

26. My heart goes out to you and your family.

This was a good man. The world can scarce afford to lose any more.

[SOteric]

27. May his friends and family find peace.

And bless his valiant heart.

[Midlodemocrat]

28. God Bless your cousin. May your family find peace.

He WAS a true hero. :patriot:

[goldcanyonaz]

29. KICK!! G-D Bless you Marine Sgt. Merlin German

[ThatsMyBarack]

30. Semper Fi.

:patriot: