Ask any veteran and they’ll tell you the immense toll that serving can, and often does exact.
Even for those who survive their time as servicemen and women unscathed, there are scars left by deep-seated trauma that can have a real effect on the rest of their lives.
Then, of course, there are those who are injured or maimed in the line of duty. Not only do they have to live with psychological wounds, but also whatever physical injuries they might have sustained, which can range from cuts and broken bones all the way to missing limbs.
Simon Brown was a corporal in the British military in 2006 when he was sent on his third tour of Iraq.
As per reports, Simon was charged with leading a mission to recover six stranded colleagues when he was shot in the face by a sniper, very nearly costing him his life and leading to life-changing injuries.
Simon, who served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, spent 17 days in a coma, waking to find that he had been left permanently disfigured.
Simon Brown was shot in the face by a sniper in Iraq whilst rescuing six people.
The REME soldier was blinded in one eye and left with just 20% vision in the other.
In his own words, "Day to day, I don't worry about them. I wear the scars, they don't wear me."#veteran pic.twitter.com/h1oXtvUamZ
— Blesma (@Blesma) March 4, 2023
Not only had the soldier lost his left eye, but vision in his right was reduced to 20%, while he was also missing the cartilage in his nose, drastically altering his facial appearance.
Needless to say, Simon’s entire world had changed, and though he did his utmost to remain positive, they were trying times indeed.
Following countless operations and attempts to reconstruct his face, brave Simon decided to try and use his horrific experiences for good; educating others and giving motivational talks in schools and the like.
Not only does Simon hope to inform others, but he also aims to help other veterans who might have fallen on hard times or be struggling with underlying trauma.
This is Simon Brown. Simon was a corporal in the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers in Iraq. On a rescue mission, where he helped rescue six wounded soldiers, he was tragically hit by sniper fire. This bullet destroyed much of his face. @BlindVeterans helped him recover ❤ pic.twitter.com/f1rSNZ3RqF
— BulldogUK Network (@BulldogUK2) May 15, 2019
One day, he crossed past with Temperance Pattison, a young girl who was, by all accounts, fascinated with war heroes and their stories.
In a cross-generational meeting, Simon sat down with Temperance as part of Help for Heroes’ campaign, “Facing It Together”. Naturally, Simon had wondered how his younger counterpart would react to his facial scarring, but it quickly became apparent that this particular sit-down was special.
The meeting between Simon and Temperance ended up touching the world. Just watch the video below to see exactly why:
Well, that was enough to bring me to tears. Did you also think it made for incredible viewing?
