Wounded vet returns home to Florida from Afghanistan

Wounded vet returns home to Zephyrhills from Afghanistan
Tampa Tribune
By Eddie Daniels
Tribune Staff
Published: September 26, 2013

ZEPHYRHILLS — Life, today, is much different for Tyler “TJ” Jeffries.

Tyler Jeffries’ dog, Apollo, was trained for five months by Los Angeles-based animal trainer Brian McMillan. Jeffiries and McMillan were connected through a mutual friend, Clay Burwell. McMillan participated in Dicovery’s Shark Week and has a CBS show titled Lucky Dog. TYLER JEFFRIES

Walking doesn’t come easy. In fact, most days, it hurts. Sometimes the pain limits Jeffries, a 2007 Zephyrhills High School grad and former baseball player, to his wheelchair.

Eleven months ago, Jeffries stepped on an improvised explosive device during an explosive-clearing mission in Afghanistan.

The explosion took off a portion of his left leg above the knee as well as a part of his right leg below the knee. It’s also put him in a hospital operating room at least a dozen times.

As difficult as tasks are now, not much can compare to the moments just after the Oct. 6 blast.

“From the time I got blown up to the time I got in the helicopter, it took 50 minutes,” Jeffries said. “So I was waiting there, legless, for 50 minutes on the ground. I remember every single second of that.

“I was awake the whole time talking to my guys and they were taking care of me.”
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