Injured Valley Soldier on the Road to Recovery - FOX 54 WZDX – Huntsville News, Weather and Sports

Private Corey Garmon, a former football star at Sardis High School, is not coming home just yet but is well on the road to recovery.

Corey's unit came under attack about a month ago while on a ten day mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan. An improvised explosive device went off and Corey lost his left leg. He was flown to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and has since undergone several surgeries, including one to remove his right leg below the knee. Back at home his community has rallied together to show their support. A Facebook page called Prayers for Corey Garmon has 5,244 members and multiple fundraisers have been organized by people in the community.

Corey says all the letters he receives from around the world help keep his spirits up.

"When I started getting letters and the Facebook site, you know the Prayers for Corey Garmon, it blew my mind," he said. "It amazed me really; it's hard to explain the feeling that I had."

Garmon remained conscious during and after the explosion and was fully aware that he was seriously injured but says the support from loved ones and strangers has helped put things in perspective.

"Getting blown up was tough, but you know, the support I had it just made everything worthwhile. It made everything worth it, worth the fight, worth getting injured, I mean it really did," Garmon said from his hospital bed in DC.

Corey's parents and fiancée are with him and having his family close by, he thinks, is helping him recover.

"I haven't seen them in 5 months and for them to be here everyday and for them to be there to help me with PT, with eating, everything, it's been great," he said.

PT, or physical therapy, will be a long process. Corey's arm is currently sewn to his stomach in an effort to grow more skin. He is working to gain strength in his left leg, while his right leg still has to heal. Garmon says he has big plans for when he gets his prosthetic legs.

"I want to go to a football game, you know like a college football game, and see all my friends there; Tuscaloosa or Auburn, it doesn't matter. I just want to walk around and do what normal people do everyday."

But before cheering on his favorite team, Garmon has plans to marry his favorite girl, Megan Forrester. Corey says they will have a small wedding ceremony at the hospital on September 1st.

"They are actually going to get the rings tonight so we are pretty excited about that," said the thrilled soldier. He and Megan will have a wedding ceremony back home in Alabama after he is released from the hospital.