Daniel Luckett: an American Bad Ass

A picture of Daniel Luckett being carried off the battlefield, from USA Today

I went to high school with Daniel Luckett. For those four years, we usually had at least one or two classes together each semester. We also played football together (for the one year that I played football, that is). He was always a great guy: had a great attitude, was funny and was fun to be around. We didn't really keep in touch after high school, and we actually aren't even friends on Facebook. I wasn't even really aware that he had gone into the Army after he graduated from Auburn. Needless to say, I was quite surprised when I was invited to join the Facebook group "Daniel Luckett: an American Bad Ass." From there, I found out how Luckett had been injured while on duty in Iraq. By the time I started reading the blog that friends and family had been writing about his status (it can be found here), things had pretty much stabilized and it was clear that he was going to be okay, in spite of losing one leg and most of the other foot.

Luckett is the only person I know who has been seriously injured in Iraq or Afghanistan (I won't count Matt Summers because he came back in one piece, in spite of being nearly blown up by an IED), and I hope that he will continue to be the only one. I still haven't spoken with Luckett since I found out about his situation, but I am really proud to know him and to have gone to high school with him and played football with him (for one year). I wish I could get up to D.C. some time to visit him, but hopefully I will be able to see him when he comes back home. I appreciate his service to our country and wish him and his family the best.

Here is a great article about his story that was recently posted on his blog. It's worth a read.