A soldier's fortune

Life itself.

That's what she's grateful for this Thanksgiving Day.

Not her own, though -- her son's.

She's just thankful he's alive. Wounded, and missing a limb, he's still here, and for her that's the best Thanksgiving of all.

"Dear Yakima Herald Republic,

Maybe some people do not believe in miracles, but I do," Julia Kamppi, formerly of Yakima and now living in Florida, wrote earlier this week.

The miracle is Nicholas Freeland Clark, her 27-year-old son. Today Clark, a Yakima native, will be sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner with relatives in West Valley. He's visiting here for a few days from Texas.

It's the first time he's been home since he went off to war a year and a half ago.

And the first time since he had his lower leg amputated.

"I always had the suspicion he would someday join the Army ... he was always jumping off cliffs into rivers ... climbing up as high as he could possibly get and when he would throw a baseball from the outfield, he would pretend he was throwing a grenade!"

Born in Yakima, Clark attended West Side Christian and Naches schools, played soccer and Little League baseball and loved camping in the Cascades.

Earning his GED in 11th grade, Clark headed off to Alaska to work in the fishing industry. But by age 24, he knew he wanted something else.

After enlisting in the Army, he became a Red Beret paratrooper, serving with the 173rd Airborne. In May 2007, Clark was deployed to eastern Afghanistan.

"Nick came home to visit before going to Afghanistan and as a mother, I could not have been more proud to see how much he had excelled in the path he had chosen. He was ready to go serve our country."

A month after arriving in Afghanistan, Clark was riding patrol in a caravan of six Humvees in Nuristan Province. A gunner, Clark was in the lead vehicle when suddenly a series of rocket propelled grenades exploded.

Clark's Humvee took a direct hit. So did he.

"I didn't know I was wounded right off the bat and didn't know my foot was messed up," he remembered.

As flames engulfed the Humvee, everyone jumped out to dash to safety. But not Clark.

"I tried to run, but then I knew I was really hurt. My left heel, half my foot and part of my calf were blown off."

"June 2, 2007: I answered the phone and it was Nick saying, 'Mom, I'm in the hospital.' My mind was thinking maybe he had the flu until a nurse got on the phone and told me Nick could not hear me because of the blast. When she said the word 'Blast,' I fell to the floor and could hardly breathe."

By the time Clark was airlifted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Kamppi didn't know what to expect.

"When I walked into his room and saw him laying there, I knew he was pretty bad. Shrapnel in his neck, back and lower right leg, but I could not see what was under the big bandages on his lower left leg ... just a drain tube."

Physicians told Clark he could keep his foot and leg but he'd never walk again.

"I didn't want that," he said, so he consented to have his leg amputated 8 inches below his knee. The surgery was performed at Fort Lewis Army Base in Tacoma, in July 2007.

Two months later, after being fitted with a prosthesis, Clark was walking.

"It wasn't that hard for me," he said.

He's not exaggerating. Walking is the least of what's he's been doing. In the 17 months since, he's already been rock climbing, running and snow boarding.

"Once you get used to it (a prosthetic,) the more natural it feels."

Even he was surprised by his endurance when he signed up for the Bataan Memorial Death March, a 26.2 mile march through the New Mexico desert, last February.

The annual event honors World War II service members who were forced on the original deadly Bataan march through the Philippines.

Carrying a 35-pound pack, Clark covered the course in nine hours.

"It was really hot -- over 100 degrees -- and I didn't think I'd finish," he said.

He was motivated, though, to honor his great uncle, Freeland Clark, for whom he is named and who died in the original Bataan death march.

After the amputation, Clark completed rehabilitation in San Antonio, Texas, where he still lives. He's disappointed that the Army recently gave him a medical retirement because he hoped to the make the military his career.

"I love the service," he said.

He's rebounded, though, and is returning to school in January to study sports broadcasting. He's also getting married in May and intends to eventually return to Washington.

And he can't wait to resume sky diving.

I am very thankful that God saved my only child . . . The pieces of shrapnel could have split his main artery and the one in his back missed his spine by less than an inch."

His mother isn't the only one thankful. Even with his severe injuries, Clark knows he dodged more than a bullet.

"At first I really didn't understand how lucky I was," Clark admitted.

"But over time, I've realized that I got a second chance."

"I'm so proud of my son and hope that everyone living in the USA will appreciate the sacrifice he made for our country. This is what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving . . . "

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