SOLDIER SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN IS COMING HOME THURSDAY. Community asked to help welcome a soldier home By J.Crepps Daily Journal Staff Writer Published Monday, December 13, 2010. He spent a year in Afghanistan and turned 21 there last month. But now SPC Bryce MacBride is coming home. He was seriously wounded by a mortar shot after some Taliban entered his camp. His mother, Vicki Lopez of Park Hills, along with dozens of friends and family, are planning a homecoming for their wounded solider December 16 [2010]. Its a surprise, she said. We want to line Parkway Drive with as many people as we can, with their candles, flashlights and welcome home signs, Lopez said. The Patriot Guard will escort MacBride home from the Airport in St. Louis, weather permitting. The Patriot Guard consists of motorcycle riders from across the nation, who come together with an unwavering respect for those who risk their lives for Americas freedom and security. Their website is www.patriotguard.org If it is snowing, they wont be able to drive, Lopez explains. But she said she still hopes to have just as much support on Parkway Drive. Lopez and family will pick MacBride up from the airport at 6 p.m. and plan to make their way into the Parkland no later than 7:30 p.m. Thursday night. The soldier is in the 1-91 Cav in the US Army. He is part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany. MacBride, a 2008 Central High School graduate, was first injured Oct. 25. He had shrapnel, a type of metal, in his back, but it wasnt very serious, his mom said. He called to tell me that he was hurt, but was fine, Lopez explains. He said they were making him go to the medic. Thankful he was OK, Lopez received another call only days later with not so good news. MacBride was injured again by another mortar Oct. 27, along with three other men. This time, MacBride wasnt able to call. He said there was a man walking through the hospital halls, and asked him if he had called his mom yet, Lopez said. He gave him his cell phone right then and there. MacBride told his mom that he was hit, he was alright but was going into surgery and would call again soon. Hes going to be alright, Lopez said. He has a pretty big chunk out of his leg, some shrapnel in his shoulder and his ear is torn off, she said. She said she immediately began a prayer chain for his recovery. The support was wonderful. We had prayer requests from Las Vegas, Nashville, Paraguay and more. Lopez said the Army called daily with updates and to keep medical information up-to-date. Lopezs sister, Cathy OSullivan a sixth grade teacher at Farmington School District came to work upset after hearing the news. She said she explained to her class that she might have to take a few days off, not knowing how bad her nephew was injured. The next day OSullivan said her class returned telling her they had their churches, friends and family praying for MacBride, but what else could they do? We decided to send shoe boxes full of supplies, she said. We collected 8 boxes, she explained. We sent four to Bryce and four more to Afganistan, she said. MacBride gave three of the boxes to the other three men injured when he was. Meanwhile, a few classes down, Cary Helms class got busy and collected supplies to send three to Bryce and four to Afganistan. The boxes contained items such as beef jerky, baby wipes, hand sanitizer and more, OSullivan said. Bryce once told me he didnt shower for three weeks, she said. OSullivan said that she is proud of her class and will continue this holiday tradition next year if the need is still there. MacBride comes from a military family. His great grandfather Lynn Thurman was a gunner in the Army during World War II. His grandfather, Russell MacBride and his step [grand]father, Leonard Henson, are both past Marines.