Sergeant Bozik - Upate 9 - Love, Golf, and Time Magazine
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Here's the latest update on Sergeant Joey Bozik from his mother, Gail. After the email update, I'll post a link to an article about Joey and Jayme Bozik that was written for Valentine's Day. If you are new around here, you'll see why they're a great couple and why their story is important.
From Gail Bozik:
...TIME magazine called me and said that the 21st of February issue may be the one with Joey; so look for it. If not this issue then the next. The Raleigh News and Observer of North Carolina paper will also run an article about Joey and Jayme on Sunday and it will be based on their love and Valentine's Day. The Italian interview was aired last Monday in Italy and will continue to be over Europe. Damiano, the interviewer, sent me a video and it was great. Most of it was in Italian except when Joey, Jayme and I talked. Damiano is arranging with friends in New York to get Joey and Jayme to the US Open for golf in Pinehurst, NC in June. Joey is so excited and hopes to see Tiger Woods. Friends in California are helping Joey get left hand golf equipment and maybe a sponsor for an adaptive golf cart. Again, Joey is elated because he loves golf. Joey is also talking with a ghost writer to start a book which will be published in a year. I will try to continue to inform you of his progress. Thank you for your commitment and love you have shown my family.
And here's the Raliegh News Observer story that about Joey and Jayme:
WASHINGTON -- Joey Bozik crosses his one arm over his body, rifles his backpack for his pillbox. He flips the compartment with his thumb, throws back his head and pops the morphine pill into his mouth.
His wife does not reach to help him.
She stands behind his wheelchair, ruffling his buzz cut. The silver ring on her left hand, gleaming like a chrome bumper, is identical to the one on his left. The rings are six weeks old, but he can wear his only now, just before Valentine's Day, because the swelling has gone down on his remaining fingers.
They are in their temporary home in Washington, D.C., a room on the grounds of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. They are smiling.
"I'll tell you this much," said Bozik, one of the Iraq war's three triple amputees. "I've never been happier in my whole life."
Joey Bozik was a soldier from Wilmington.
Jayme Peters was a student from Tyler, Texas.
When Joey was in Afghanistan in 2003, he got to know an officer who would come to the post he guarded. One day, the officer said, I know this girl named Jayme. You two would hit it off.
So Joey e-mailed her a note, a photo. She wrote back...
Read the whole article to find out more about Joey and Jayme and what happened next.