She Survived The Bombing Of The Kabul Airport While On Her First Deployment And Now This Selfless Marine Who Earned A Purple Heart Is Facing A Long Road To Recovery
Chicago, Illinois. It was back in her junior year of high school that 20-year-old Corporal Kelsee Lainhart decided that she wanted to be a Marine.
Kelsee wanted to give back in the biggest way, and so just after she graduated from high school, she went straight to boot camp.
Kelsee completed boot camp, and then she was ready to go on her very first overseas deployment.
She was thrilled about this new adventure, even after she learned where she would be going.
“Never did her family expect her to be in Afghanistan, but she had no fear,” Kelsee’s family explained on a GoFundMe page for her.
“She felt like she was helping so many women and children in hopes of them having a better future.”
“A day before the accident, she said she was sad about anyone that might be left behind. She is truly a selfless person, a complete bad***, and a true hero!!
It was August 26th, and Kelsee was at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, helping to evacuate people out of the country when a suicide bomber attacked the airport.
GoFundMe; pictured above is Kelsee in uniform
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The attack tragically resulted in 13 members of our military losing their lives, one of which was Kelsee’s best friend and fellow Marine, Sgt. Nicole Gee.
At least 18 more military members were severely wounded, and Kelsee sadly was one of the Marines that suffered horrific injuries. She was left paralyzed from the waist down after the attack.
Cpl. Wyatt Wilson was another military member who was injured that day, yet he was able to pull Kelsee to safety despite suffering shrapnel injuries and trauma to his face and chest.
Kelsee was airlifted from Kabul to a hospital located in Germany, and from there, she was transported to the Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland.
Kelsee was awarded a Purple Heart while in Maryland for her bravery. Last month, Kelsee moved to a rehabilitation facility in Chicago, where this selfless Marine is facing down an incredibly long road in the process of her recovery.
A few days ago on Veteran’s Day, Kelsee’s mom Stacey shared a message on the GoFundMe page created to help Kelsee with her medical expenses.
The reality that Kelsee is facing is that not all of the specialists she’s going to see and not all of her medical expenses will be covered, leaving her to pay out of pocket for things she really needs in order to have the best chance at getting better.
CaringBridge; pictured above Kelsee smiles
“For Veteran’s Day, I’m asking all my friends to share Kelsee’s story and GoFundMe Page,” Stacey wrote.
“I was very hesitant in the beginning to ask for help and even allow a GoFundMe page to be set up for Kelsee, but my friends and family convinced me it was a good idea as Kelsee is facing a long, long recovery.”
“After watching our daughter, our Marine, struggle for the last 77 days to fight to get better….she deserves for Americans to come together and help. I know most of my friends on Facebook have either donated to GoFundMe or have donated and volunteered for a Fundraiser, so I’m asking your help now to share her GoFundMe to your friends and family, whether it be on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, e-mail, and ask that they share.”
“This girl deserves the world for her sacrifice. In my mind, if a million people donated $1, she’d have a million dollars to be able to look at experimental treatments to help with recovery, pay for non-standard rehab that isn’t paid by the military, help her for future needs, make her life easier in the future.”
“I know there has been a lot of money raised for Kelsee already, but I’m quickly realizing how quickly that money will be gone.”
“I’m just trying to help my daughter who sacrificed and put herself in harm’s way to help save as many people as she could to have a better life in the future. I still pray every day for peace and comfort for the families of those that didn’t make it home. And I continue to pray for the others wounded and that are fighting as well.”
Kelsee bought herself a new pair of Nike’s before she got injured as a homecoming present to herself, and one of the goals she has set for herself is able to put them on all by herself one day soon.
CaringBridge; pictured above are Kelsee’s Nikes
If you would like to donate to the GoFundMe page to help support Kelsee in her recovery, you can do that here.
You can visit the CaringBridge created for Kelsee here for updates on her road to recovery, and if you would like to send mail to Kelsee here is her address, below:
More About:Human Interest
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