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LV soldier 'doing real well' as he recovers

Nov-15-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

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A Longview solder who fractured two vertebrae when his Stryker plunged nose-first off a 30-foot cliff is recovering on schedule and feeling good enough to attend a concert in Tacoma, his father said Saturday.

"Justin's doing real well," said his father, Jim Little. "He's starting to heal the way he's supposed to."

He spoke by cell phone just before driving his son to see Toby Keith perform that night at the Tacoma Dome. A surprise would join them beforehand for dinner, he said.

"Unbeknownst to him, his company commander will be there, along with some of his buddies from Iraq," he said. Justin Little is a sergeant with Fort Lewis Alpha Troop, First Squadron, 14th Cavalry.

He's already been visited at home by the comrade who saved his life, Spc. Nicholas Vernon, who yanked him inside the Stryker as it fell.

"He spent six or seven hours with Justin a couple of weeks ago," Jim Little said. "He's a real nice boy." [...]

Although the Army originally considered putting Justin back on light duty as early as September, now it doesn't look like he'll go back on base until after the first of the year, his father said.

Until then, he's at home, where "he's the master of the house," his father said with a laugh.

His son's positive attitude makes it easy to take care of him, he said.

"He's happy to be able to walk around," Jim Little said. "But he's looking forward to being a whole person again."


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