Before working at The News-Herald Newspapers, I worked for The Wayne Dispatch Newspaper. While being a part of the new newspaper I worked on a special project: Soldier of the Month.

Every month, I found someone from Wayne who was in the Army, Marines, Navy or Air Force and based away from home at the time. Then, I wrote an article about that person, included his or her address and a wish-list for readers to send letters and gifts. The amount of people and businesses who donated was amazing. Schools and girl scout troops participated and at one point half of my living room was consumed with items to mail out to a soldier. Veterans of Foreign War posts donated shipping money, too.

The reactions when soldiers started to receive their packages was thrilling. I kept in touch through Facebook and Skype with many of them, and still talk to a lot of them who are home now, and they tell how excited everyone always was to receive so many items. It's really something we take for granted.

Every time I heard the immense amount of thanks from a serviceman or servicewoman, I remembered even more how much I love being a journalist and that journalists can tell the good stories, not just the bad.

Within the first month of working at The News-Herald, I was given a printed out email from a woman who was explaining that her 20-year-old son had been paralyzed by a roadside bomb after only being there for nine days.

I called her immediately and left a message. When she returned my call I could hear the distress in her voice. I remember telling her to just tell me what she wanted to and I would ask non-probing questions after if necessary.

Chris Ochs

She started with, "He wanted to be a soldier since he was seven."

I had never met any of them and that comment still hit me hard. His childhood dream was crushed.

Chris Ochs graduated high school in 2009. He joined the army and was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska. He was in the service for a total of 17 months before being paralyzed. He had been on the ground, living out his childhood hopes, for just over a week before his life was changed forever.

He was in a vehicle with three others when the bomb hit them. Ochs' injuries were the most severe. He is now paralyzed from the waist down.

Ochs receiving Purple Heart

After the accident, he was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. From there, he was transferred to Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, Va.

He was presented with a Purple Heart while in the hospital by Brig. Gen. Warren Phipps, deputy commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division.

“His spirits have remained high and every day is a hurdle to jump in this new life we are living,” his mother told me.

The family's Flat Rock home is two stories. She said they needed help remodeling. They needed to accommodate a wheelchair; ramps, main-level bedroom and bathroom, etc.

“He got to go to the parking lot of the hospital and ride a bike, one of those where you pedal with your arms,” his mother said. “He had fun today. He enjoyed it.”

At that point he was still in the hospital.

At the beginning of July, he came home.

“I can speak on everyone’s behalf in saying Chris has been amazing,” his mother said. “He has remained positive and has adapted well. He has taught us how strong and determined one can be. We are so proud of him and we know he will have a bright future.”

Fundraisers have been held throughout southeastern Michigan for Chris. Dinners to lifting competitions, wheelchair donations to silent auctions - people have been supporting. A lot of people have been supporting.

I've done a few stories on Chris. Every time we've published something in the paper I've received phone calls from locals wanting to donate money. Elderly women who tell me, "I don't have much but want to write a check," make me want to cry in joy. The kindness in people is astonishing. Corporate companies have called and emailed me from as far as Illinois and Texas wanting to donate money. Local businesses have donated supplies to remodel the house.

When a local American Legion donated a motorized wheelchair to Chris I attended the small ceremony they had. It was the first time I met the Ochs family who I had spoken with so many times. Chris was funny and seemed so happy and comfortable. He had adapted so much to a new lifestyle, I couldn't believe it. He chased his little sister around in his wheelchair. He joked with everyone. It was uplifting.

It's great to do something for others and I'm lucky enough to not only partake in some of those things, but to also write about them and capture the memories in words for people to fall back on and remember the kind-hearted people who surround us.

It's a touching story. I've been able to write about a lot of touching stories, and I have my profession to thank for it. I've been honored to meet some great people.

Anderson upon arrival home

Nick Anderson was the first "Soldier of the Month" for the Wayne Dispatch and has become one of my best friends, if it wasn't for his dedication to the Army and my profession that would have never happened. When he returned to Wayne, he visited the school that collected items for him and the kids loved it. They asked him questions and took pictures with him.

Chris Ochs is an inspiration to us all. If it wasn't for him following his dream to be a serviceman and me just starting at The News-Herald, I wouldn't have been able to write such a tragic, yet amazing, story or meet someone with such a positive, uplifting personality.


Meeting people like them in my line of work is one of the best parts of being a journalist. Writing about people like them, and the people helping them, is what I love about journalism.

Catch ya later, Internet World.


I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.  I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.  - Abraham Lincoln