Corporal Christopher Klodt was shot in the neck during a gun battle with Afghan rebels outside Kandhahar 2 1/2 months ago. The bullet lodged in his spine and he's paralyzed from the neck down. Despite that, Chris has said that if he could, he would go back to Afghanistan and continue to serve.
Chris is now recovering at Chedoke Hospital in Hamilton. The medical prognosis had Chris breathing through a machine, being fed through a tube and never to speak again for the rest of his life. The doctors always do that. They want to prepare you for the worst. Chris could have given up but instead is out in his power chair and has regained some use of his arms. You'll notice he has a collar around his neck. He'll ditch that soon. He's just started eating solid food again and has also taught himself to dress and hold his food. It remains to be seen how much better he can get. A lot of times you get to a level and never get any better than that level. He's gotten pretty far already.
Chris's fiancee Deena gave birth to their son Jonathan Sept. 7. Chris is lucky to be here to see his son. But he's going to keep getting better and I wanted to wish him the best of luck in his recovery. You have to do for yourself because the doctors will try and discourage you. This article is derived from Dana Borcea's article in the Hamilton Spectator and Jane Wiens of CBC's Metro Morning has done an interview with Chris which you can hear on the CBC website.
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