Honor a local Purple Heart recipient for my Birthday ❤️

Please help me love on a Purple Heart recipient by helping him buy an ice bath. It’s the only thing he’s found that helps him relieve his pain.

John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends". So many didn’t come home. I’m thankful Kyle did!

On my Birthday today, please let me introduce to you Kyle Edwards, my bonus brother since high school. Kyle is a Purple Heart recipient and hero. To me he is a hero for a special reason. This is the guy I keep telling you about! I love on Veterans for many reasons, but my biggest reason, Kyle [covered me while I was reloading]. He covered this civilian with three kids in tow, on my darkest day, completely overwhelmed, broken, forgotten, and fighting a battle much greater than me. He never made me feel I was too much in my heartache, while so many others walked away.

Now for my birthday, I’d love to return the favor. Please help me cover Kyle while he continues to reload. He came home but not without wounds that he is still managing. He helped pave the way for our freedoms. Land of the free, because of the brave. Kyle is very brave. I have all that I need, what would bless me on my birthday is for you to help me cover Kyle by helping him get the only thing that seems to help his body feel some sort of relief. Please take a moment to read his own words. Like many of you, Kyle doesn’t just open up and share easily. I asked him to help me share his story. It took some convincing! ❤️ We love you Kyle! Thank you for your service. ❤️

My Service:

​My name is Kyle Edwards, and I grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. After I graduated Oakland High School in 2002, I went to pursue higher education at Middle Tennessee State University. I was there for one year before I realized that college wasn’t for me. For 3 years, I tried every blue-collar job out there. I came to the realization that I needed to serve my country.

I joined the United States Marine Corps in March of 2005 and was shipped off to boot camp at the end of the month. After completing boot camp, I was sent to school to become a Motor Transport Organizational Mechanic and then to the fleet at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I was stationed with 2nd Maintenance Battalion. I volunteered to be a Military Police Officer for fourteen months overseas and then returned to my original battalion. In August of 2007, I deployed as a basic infantryman with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion to Fallujah, Iraq. My mission as a squad leader was to be a QRF, Quick Reaction Force, for the surrounding area of Fallujah. I lead thirteen Marines and one Corpsman for nine months without any major injuries. I returned in May 2008 and then re-enlisted to be a recruiter. I recruited in Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2009-2012 and successfully recruited seventy-five young men and women. I decided to return to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina with an artillery unit 3rd Battalion 10th Marines until they disbanded.

The last unit I was attached to was 1st Battalion 9th Marines, 2nd Marine Division. We deployed in September 2013 to Southern Helmand Providence, Afghanistan where we stayed for nine months. I was the Shop Chief over the Motor Transport section in charge of thirty Marines and one Corpsman. On February 13th, 2014 I was on a recovery mission to get a blown-up truck from an IED attack. On our way back to base, I was in the third truck of a convoy when my truck struck a 100-pound IED. It was struck on my side of the truck that rendered me unconscious for a few minutes. I was transported by Black Hawk Life Flight back to the base hospital. I woke up twenty-four hours later in a neck brace. I received a grade three concussion, as well as back and neck pain. I was in recovery in the Wounded Warrior Barracks for a week and then returned to the mission at hand. On February 28th, 2014, our convoy was hit by a 600-pound car bomb, which killed one of our gunners, LCpl Caleb Erickson. Stunned and heartbroken, we still had to finish the mission. Once the mission was completed, we returned to the states. While being assessed by the VA, I was diagnosed with PTSD, TBI, along with my other back and back injuries. On April 24th, 2014, I received my Purple Heart and Combat Action medals. On October 1st, 2014, I received an honorable discharge out of the Marine Corps.

Since then, I have been battling my PTSD/ TBI and other injuries daily. I try to deal with daily life as best as I know how but continue to struggle emotionally, mentally, and physically. My family and friends try to help me cope with my emotional distress, but I don’t always know how to accept it or deal with my anxious feelings. I have a service dog, Harry, who helps with my anxiety and being in public places. I do enjoy going out and participating in social activities, but my anxiety and anger gets the best of me. I avoid going to concerts, football games, and eating out with my family because of my anxiety. I have been prescribed many pills for pain from the VA, but they do not seem to be the answer for me. I work full time and will attending college in the Spring of 2025, so that I can provide opportunities for myself and my family. I want to be the supportive, loving husband, and father I envisioned I could be. Having a service dog to help me through my tough times and assist me with my anxiety would be life-changing. Dealing with the pain day to day can get me down both mentally and physically.

Organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project and Veteran Affairs Hospital have not only helped me but my family as well. They have provided family assistance programs to get the family members the education they need to help their warrior with PTSD/TBI. My wife and I got the chance to go on a couples retreat to build a stronger marriage through the staff and other couples who were going through the same situations. I am proud to go from an amazing organization like the Marine corps to another one with open arms. This is just what I need to get my life back on track as well as other veterans. I hope you give them a chance to show how awesome they are. Thank you for your time and God Bless America! “Semper Fidelis,” Latin for “Always Faithful!”

Sincerely,

Kyle Edwards

(former) Sergeant United States Marine Corps