Twenty-one heroes enjoyed a visit to Barbour County last weekend during the second annual Barbour-Eufaula Hero’s Hunt.
All of the soldiers who participated in the hunt were from the Marines or Army branches of the military and had been seriously wounded in battled.
Last weekend’s rain didn’t dampen their enthusiasm. The hunters harvested 10 deer.
“Everyone’s had a good time,” said Lance Cpl. Eli Tice. “Barbour County is beautiful. This has been the definition of Southern hospitality.”
Hailing from Charles Town W.Va., Tice served with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan for more than three years. He stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) and lost his leg outside of Helmand, Afghanistan. He was one of the few men at the hunt with a prosthetic leg.
Lance Cpl. David Lack, another U.S. Marine who hunted with a prosthetic leg, was the first to take a deer that week, an eight-point buck.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Smith of the U.S. Marines said outdoor retreats such as the Hero’s Hunt have helped him recover mentally and emotionally from the trauma he suffered while serving in Iraq.
On April 29, 2011, Smith suffered a traumatic brain and back injury after an anti-tank mine exploded less than 40 yards away from his vehicle.
“After I got injured, I didn’t think I would ever be able to do things like this,” he said. “But with the support and love of my family and so many other people, pushing me to do these things, I can get back out and do this again. I love it out here. It’s nice.”
SPC Rob Hoadley of the U.S. Army also enjoyed his time in Barbour County. Hoadley served in Afghanistan and hails from Boise, Idaho.
“It’s been amazing,” he said. “I’ve had a really good time so far. It’s been great to spend time with good friends and get away from everything, go hunting.”
Read more on this story in the weekend Tribune.
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