Target of Suicide Bomber Beats Odds and Lives to Tell About It

Nov. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- “What happens to you in life isn’t nearly as important as what you choose
to do with what happens to you in life. Don’t hide the scars.” ~ B.C. Fleming

Dallas/Ft. Worth─Military veteran, author and speaker B.C. Fleming is eager to share his story of survival and success with the world. Having been blown up in Afghanistan not once, but twice, and given a second chance at life, he is dedicated to helping others overcome their own challenges and prosper through adversity.  

All too familiar with the daily sacrifices of the soldier, Fleming knows as well the trials of the veteran at home. He also understands firsthand the complexities of war, the ugliness of hatred and the power of forgiveness. Because Fleming speaks from experience—not theory—he has carved a place for himself as a valuable media resource, addressing audiences with genuineness and enthusiasm on such subjects as patriotism, leadership, freedom and, of course, his own harrowing encounter with a suicide bomber.

A recipient of the Purple Heart, Fleming jokingly calls the medal “the most unwanted award in the military” and often refers to it as “the enemy marksmanship badge.” To receive it, he explains, “It pretty much means that you have been either shot up, blown up, physically injured or killed serving your country. That’s not really what you hope for when you go off to war, but sometimes it happens that way.” And that is exactly what would happen to Fleming.  

Ten years ago this year, on September 11, 2001, Fleming made a decision that would change the course of his life forever. After high school, his plan was to become a medical doctor, but as he sat in his second period Spanish class watching the second terrorist plane fly into the tower in New York City, he quietly committed himself to service in the military. At age 18, he enlisted in the United States Army.

After completing a tour in South Korea, he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division as a team leader in a reconnaissance platoon and was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. In April 2006, Fleming got his first taste of guerilla warfare when his military vehicle ran across a double stack of mines buried in the road. The 14,000-pound Humvee was lifted off the ground and hurled about ten feet to the side of the road. Miraculously, Fleming escaped without a scratch.  

The next time, he would not walk away. On a sunny afternoon in late July of the same year, a convoy in which Fleming was traveling was attacked by a suicide bomber who exploded three feet away from the door of his vehicle. Fleming woke up in a ditch, bloody and burned, with multiple life-threatening injuries. After reconstructive surgery and fourteen months of agonizingly difficult rehabilitation at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, he decided it was time to stop whining about it and get on with his life.  

Fleming charged into a full-time public speaking career, inspiring, informing and entertaining thousands across the globe with his unique and poignant message of faith beyond tragedy. A hugely charismatic and popular communicator, Fleming encourages corporations, high schools, colleges and faith-based organizations to become inspirational leaders in their own spheres and to adopt an optimistic and courageous attitude toward the obstacles they face. With a particularly soft spot in his heart for veterans, especially those injured in duty, Fleming speaks with compassion and candor to these special groups, urging them to rise above the “victim” mentality and to be victorious in their own lives.  

Appearing on Fox News, CNN, CSPAN, ESPN, The 700 Club with Pat Robertson and many others, Fleming has also shared the stage with several well-known world leaders and celebrities, as well as presidential candidates and dignitaries. Fleming is the author of five motivational books, including Never the Same, which candidly describes “the real story” of war in Afghanistan as he experienced it.

No one would argue that Fleming has successfully turned his devastating tragedy into a remarkable triumph. As a young man still under the age of 30, he continues to serve his country by sharing his powerful story of hope. He resides in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife and two children.  

For more information about B.C. Fleming and to watch video, visit online at www.BlownUpGuy.com.

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