KILLEEN, Texas — Terry Hardin lost her son, Army Specialist Kevin Hardin, in Jan. 2012. This was after she watched him fight through severe injuries for five years.
Hardin was a combat medic and served in Iraq during "Operation Iraqi Freedom" for nine months. In Sept. 2007 the Hum-V he was riding in was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
"He had shrapnel that penetrated his brain. Everything inside the Hum-V exploded," Terry Hardin said. "He had amputations of his fingers. He was never the same after he came back from Iraq. He was two weeks away from coming home."
Hardin said her son was cared for at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center until 2010. He went through rehab and many surgeries but Hardin said he suddenly passed away in Jan. 2012 due to those injuries.
Hardin lives in the Northeastern U.S. but traveled to the Central Texas State Veteran's Cemetery Monday to visit her son's grave. It was his birthday and he would have been turned 34.
But Hardin didn't make the visit alone. She was accompanied by family members and several local soldiers.
On Monday morning, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Deputy Commanding Officer COL Jeffrey S. Yarvis presented Hardin a Til Valhalla plaque to memorialize her son's service.
"It's our honor to bestow this handcrafted plaque on you. You can see Kevin here, wearing the 1st. Calvary Badge," Yarvis said. "Kevin's life was cut short at only 25. We want to thank you for your sacrifices to our country and for Kevin's life. This is a celebration of his wife as well."
Other soldiers accompanied Hardin to play taps and salute her son. While Hardin is still grieving the loss of her son, her military family continues to grow in support.
"There are no words to describe it. I am just beyond amazed at the love," Hardin said.
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