Marine Survives Sniper Shot To The Head
In an unbelievable story, Sgt. Paul Boothroyd survives after being shot in the head from a sniper in Afghanistan.
Early March 4 in Helmand province, Boothroyd, attached to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, was on a rooftop providing over-watch for a local security patrol. It was his first deployment. Insurgents opened fire, “and I got hit by the first bullet,” he said.
The bullet pierced his helmet. The Kevlar caught and turned the round, he said, “so instead of going in and thrashing my skull,” it entered through the neck and lodged itself above and behind his right ear.
“It was like being hit by a train,” he recalled. “I remember what I was doing. I remember being hit, then I was face down in the mud on top of the building. I really wasn’t terribly concerned because I could hear bullets whipping above me, but I still had the presence of mind not to stand up. I thought, ‘Well, I don’t have any brain damage, at least at this point.’ ”
Sgt. Boothroyd received a purple heart and hopes to be deployed again. I'm amazed at the dedication of this American Soldier. He also felt like he didn't deserve a purple heart after seeing all of the other soldiers in far worse shape than him. It truly is a miracle that he survived this, and I'm sure his wife and son agree.
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