Voicemail Transcript:
"This is for Barbara Gemmell or Marine Parents. We just want to thank you. I'm the father of a seriously wounded Marine Sgt. I'm reading him all the mail that you sent him and the encouraging letters from so many people. Thank you so much. Here's Sgt, he wants to say hello. He's talking much better now." Sgt: "Thank you for all the support. Ooh-Rah." (Father): "Bye-bye. Thank You. God Bless You."
“I just wanted to take the time to thank all of you for your overwhelming show of support for me through this extremely difficult time. I have so many letters and I apologize for not writing back to everyone personally, but I think I would be writing forever. I am praying every day that (others don’t) have to go through the ordeal that I went through. I am doing outpatient physical and occupational therapy near my home. I (have) severe nerve pain in my foot that just won't go away. I’m still trying to get used to having 8 fingers and a big limp in my step. Thank you all for your support.”
— LCpl Dave, December, 2006
“Thank you for all the support and letters. Whenever I started to have a bad day I would open up a few I hadn't read yet. I am able to walk short distances without a cane, my endurance and balance are the problems now... but things continue to improve at a very fast rate. Thank you to anyone who helped with this, it has brought my spirits up and continues to help me heal.”
—LCpl. Josef, January 2007
“When I see that envelope in the mail, it makes me smile.”
— Gunnery Sgt. Marcus, August, 2009
"Dear OperationPAL,
I want to thank you all for the cards, letters and prayers. They made a difference in my recovery time. They helped me to work twice as hard. I am walking with a prosthetic leg and doing great. My fractured back and pelvis are slowly healing. I was going to walk a 26 mile Batan re-creation but my therapist thought maybe next time. She feels it's too soon for my fractures. I need my healing time. (I have gone snowboarding though.)
There are so many wonderful people here. My doctors and therapists are my heroes. My prosthetic guy works so hard. He makes sure everything feels right. He is my hero too. Please let everyone know how grateful I am. Everyone has lifted my spirits up so high. Thank you."
— Sincerely Love, Cory, April, 2011
