Steadfast devotion

When Daniel Guerrero looks back at being shot in Afghanistan in May and being in a coma for four days afterward, he said he has a lot to be thankful for.

"Thankfully, I was the only one who got injured that day," said the Coeur d'Alene man, who is serving in the Army Reserve. "It could have been a lot worse."

Guerrero, who received the Purple Heart award for being injured during combat, quickly deflects attention to others when discussing the attack on his unit.

"I did my job; my guys did their job," he said on Friday from San Antonio, Texas, where he is receiving treatment. "They were the ones who saved my life. When they returned home the other day, I got to see them. It seemed a little odd with men hugging, but I owe them my life.

"I don't feel lucky or anything like that. We did our jobs and, because of that, things turned out OK."

During a route clearance mission as part of the 321st Engineer Clearance Company out of Conroe, Texas, Sgt. Guerrero's platoon came under heavy enemy fire and a bullet tore through his right forearm, severing his radial artery and shattering his elbow.

"It's all blotchy," Guerrero said of his memory of the gunfight. "From what I was told, the fighting lasted 54 minutes, and I was hit within the first five to 10 minutes by a sniper."

A tourniquet was applied to Guerrero and he continued to return fire as he and fellow soldiers fought their way back to better cover in the truck. Once in the truck, Guerrero supplied the gunner with ammunition until the area was secure enough for a medical helicopter to retrieve him.

"Initially, when I was shot, I didn't know how bad it was, but I went into cardiac arrest three times in Afghanistan, so the severity was pretty bad," he said. "When I woke up in the hospital after being in a coma for four days, I didn't know where I was at."

Guerrero, who is married with two children, recently had his eighth surgery in an effort to save his arm. Doctors are hopeful he'll regain up to 75 percent use of it, but he only has about 20 percent mobility now.

"It sucked at first," said Guerrero, who is also battling traumatic brain injury. "But I came to terms that it is what it is and there's more to life than sitting around and being depressed about it. My wife and I try to keep a positive attitude for the kids and each other."

Guerrero said if the healing doesn't go as well as what's hoped for and he's still on heavy medication after about two years, he'll consider amputation from the elbow down. He and his family are expected to be in San Antonio for rehabilitation for two to three years, depending on the progress of occupational therapy.

A fundraiser featuring a lunch, silent auction and optional clay pigeon shoot benefitting Guerrero and his family will be held on Saturday in Nine Mile Falls, Wash., nine miles outside Spokane. Guerrero plans to attend the event.

Guerrero and his family are currently staying in an apartment in Texas for free, but the program will expire after six months and the family also has a home mortgage here.

Guerrero volunteered for the mission in Afghanistan after volunteering for two previous missions in Iraq.

"He is a loyal, dedicated, strong and trustworthy leader, soldier ... and, most importantly friend," Guerrero's squad leader Bruce Heckendorn posted on Facebook. "I would have him by my side in any situation that life would throw my way."

Heckendorn was injured and medically evacuated two days before Guerrero was injured. Guerrero was taking Heckendorn's place as the squad's leader when he was shot.

Cindy Sapeda, Guerrero's mother, said she knew early on that her son would serve his country and want to be on the go.

"I have a photograph of him at 3 years old with camouflage head to toe," she said.

She relied on her faith to help her pull through tense times.

"A sweet peace flowed over me and somehow I knew my son's life was spared," she said. "Somehow I knew that rascal son of mine got out of it somehow."

Guerrero said he appreciates the support on the homefront. That, along with positive thoughts such as being able to golf again someday, help him in his recovery.

"It's difficult being (in Texas), but the people back home thinking about us makes us feel better about being here," Guerrero said.

How to help

A lunch and silent auction fundraiser called Guns and Grub in support of Army Reserve Sgt. Daniel Guerrero and his family will be held on Saturday at Landt Farms Sporting Clays, 11829 N. Landt Farms Lane, Nine Mile Falls, Wash., at 10 a.m. Cost is $65 if you want to participate in a clay pigeon shoot and have lunch. Cost for just the lunch is $10. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail gunsandgrubspokane@gmail.com or call (509) 279-8125.