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Army Specialist From Nampa Narrowly Escaped Deadly Attack

Jan-14-2005 » Filed Under: TF Olympia

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By Hailie Brook

MERIDIAN - Last month an army specialist from Nampa - stationed in Mosul - narrowly escaped the deadliest attack on U.S. troops in Iraq. More than 80 were killed that day - but he survived and now he's back in town.

At a pizza party in Meridian Thursday night there were hugs and kisses aplenty - precious moments that just one month ago the family of 21-year-old Casey Kreps wondered if they'd ever have again. "It's so good to see him and have him back home for awhile," said his grandma, Pearl Kreps.

Thursday night, surrounded by loved ones, Casey savored a few pieces of pizza - but in December it was his choice not to eat that perhaps saved his life. "When we heard it was a dining hall that had been hit I knew from talking to him on the phone that was probably his unit," said Casey's dad, Kevin.

The chow hall was a mile and a half away. On that day it was a walk Casey decided not to take. "It's a long ways to walk," said Casey, "I usually eat snacks or M.R.E.'s for lunch time."

Call it coincidence - but Casey's family calls it the power of prayer. "We were with the family for Christmas and as we got ready to leave we decided to say a prayer together," said Pearl.

"Casey's grandpa said a special prayer - just asking for extra protection," said Kevin, "within the next day we'd heard this had taken place."

"I figured I had a lot of people praying for me," said Casey.


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