Family of wounded soldier shocked by support from community

Mo. community rallies around wounded soldier

By Dennis Rich - The Sedalia Democrat
Posted : Thursday Aug 12, 2010 12:30:40 EDT

SEDALIA, Mo. — Darren Ross started setting up the fish fry at 8 a.m. in the morning — a $5 a plate fundraiser for Sedalia native Army Spc. Joe Yantz.

Weeks ago, it was an ice cream social hosted by St. Paul's Lutheran Church, which raised $2,358 for the Joe Yantz Support Fund. More recently, it was members of the 40 & 8 and Smith-Cotton High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps selling hot dogs.

Other groups and individuals have donated time or resources as the community has rallied around the 21-year-old Yantz, an airborne infantryman who was injured in June by a bomb while on a combat patrol in Afghanistan.

Contrary to preliminary reports of the incident, Yantz received only minor wounds to his neck, face and hand, but his right leg was amputated above the knee. A surgery to repair a perforated eardrum is scheduled for September.

His parents, Jerry and Diane — on hand at the recent fish fry before a planned return to Washington D.C.'s Walter Reed Army Medical Center where their son is recuperating — said they have been "shocked and floored" by the outpouring of support for their son.

"When this happened, the most we hoped for was that people would understand we wouldn't have time for some things. I expected close friends and family would be supportive, but we never expected this," Diane said. "If we weren't sold on Sedalia before, we certainly are now."
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Mo. community rallies around wounded soldier