Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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Walton, 35, started at Davie in 2006 teaching carpentry and is a member of the Army National Guard Reserves. He left Aug. 1 to serve with the 1132nd Military Police in Baghdad.
On Saturday, Beverly said, Walton, who is a gunner atop a Humvee, was part of a convoy hit by an explosive device. Actually, Beverly said, there were at least three vehicles in the convoy, and the explosion occurred between the second and third vehicles. Because of Walton’s exposed position, he was the only one injured, and was hit by shrapnel in his left arm. He has undergone two surgeries and may soon have another.
“He did not have any broken bones, which is unusual, because generally with explosions, because of the shock and strength, it will shatter bones. But it did tear up his tricep area and hit some nerves, so he has some nerve damage. We don’t know how much yet. But he is so lucky, because if it hadn’t hit between the cars, it could have been so much worse.”
Ironically, Beverly said, she normally stays pretty close to home, caring for the couple’s three young children.
But on Saturday, students from the high school volunteered to babysit for the children while Beverly did some Christmas shopping and prepared for the birthday party of their daughter, Meghan. Four other students worked in the yard raking leaves.
About 10 minutes after she left the house, a call came to tell her about the accident. When they could not get in touch with her, they called Jeff’s parents, who called Beverly’s dad, who drove to Mocksville from Gastonia.
“He was not about to tell me over the phone,” she said.
When asked if she was surprised ... subscribe to the Davie County Enterprise Record, P.O. Box 99, Mocksville, N.C. 27028.