by Paige Wetzel
More than anything, I want people to know that we are more than what happens to us. As someone who had a terrible day on duty once, I lost sight of many important things. But the one thing I was able to hang on to was the fact that I lived. I got a second chance at life. You don’t have to step on a bomb to realize this. You don’t have to nearly lose your life to realize that your bad days could become some sort of mission field for you. Whenever my family feels attacked by evil, we often declare Genesis 50:20 over our situation: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” A life could be saved depending on how I handle my bad times. I pray for anyone who picks up this book to challenge themselves to do the same.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
JOSH
I would like to acknowledge my 2nd Platoon brothers of the 1-23 Infantry Battalion, the men I fought with, bled with, laughed with, and cried with. I will never forget the brotherhood that was formed in Mushan and will continue to honor the lives of those lost. I will forever be an Earthpig!
I would also like to acknowledge my wife, Paige, for her love and grace during some of the toughest times of our lives. Without you, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. I want to also thank you for your boldness to step up and share this story and all of the hard work that went into telling the whole story—one that will set people free. I love you, Paige.
PAIGE
I would like to thank my fellow amputee wives who got me through my time at Walter Reed. We stood in the gap for each other and celebrated one another’s victories. You all were my voice, my compass, my reasoning, my encouragement, my comforters, and my counselors. Without you, I would have been so lost.
I would also, as a civilian, like to thank the spirit of the Infantry. A creed that says “I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!” is the anthem of those brave enough to run toward the fight. I pray to always be a civilian worth fighting for. Thank you for your service.
Josh, thank you for opening up. This book needed your voice and emotions. Someone’s life will change because of what you chose to do with the hand you were dealt, and I am thankful to be married to someone who pushes himself to an accountability level that is writing a book. Thank you for the love of your Savior, your country, and your family.
JOSH AND PAIGE
We would love to thank Karen Longino for her passion for turning a long list of events into a page-turning story. From the moment she spoke to us, Karen showed her passion for this story and prayed for its success.
Much gratitude for our agent, Rick Richter, and his love for veterans. Rick fought for us behind the scenes and invested in our goals. He was a wonderful mentor to us in this process, and without his ideas, I don’t know if we would have pursued the chance to write a book together.
The followers of Prayers for Josh Wetzel—you were the “all call” when we scattered to pray. There were times when things were moving so fast that if you guys weren’t holding us afloat in prayer, we would have surely drowned in fear. Please don’t ever stop praying like that!
To every therapist, counselor, mentor, and pastor—your judgment-free spaces allowed us to heal even when we didn’t know why we were sick. Thank you for loving us and seeing us beyond our mistakes as Christ does. Thank you for pushing us to gain wisdom instead of giving in to our feelings.
To the doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and nurses at Walter Reed Medical Center, you did so much more than patch Josh up in surgery and help him learn to walk again. You cried with us during setbacks, you hung out in our room on your off days just to make sure we were okay, you cared about our goals, and even today you are still cheering us on. You did your jobs better because you saw the person beyond the injury.
To Kate Larkin and the great people at Auburn University, you have no idea how clueless we were until you came along. The Auburn Family is an experience, not a slogan. I pray this university can continue to reach out and pull people in even when there’s home football, home basketball, signing day, no parking, and the popcorn machine in Auburn Arena catches on fire in the same twenty-four hours.
To the great people at Homes for Our Troops, America’s Fund, the Travis Mills Foundation, Honoring the Sacrifice, and the growing number of other veteran-emphasized organizations, thank you for your collaborative efforts to provide for families like ours. Thank you for the doors you’ve opened to a life we never thought possible.
To our family at Church of the Highlands, thank you for shepherding us when we didn’t know what faith looked like after Walter Reed. Thank you for helping bring the term freedom full circle for us. There will always be an enemy out there trying to diminish Christ’s power within us. Thank you for training our hands for spiritual warfare by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
ENDNOTES
1. The driver sustained second- and third-degree burns on much of his body as well as severe damage to his right arm and hand, and his left femur and left forearm were broken during this incident.
James Muma and Derik Gamez both received an Army Commendation Medal with Valor for saving his life.
2. “Drowsy Driving vs. Drunk Driving: How Similar Are They?” SleepFoundation.org, n.d. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/drowsy-driving-vs-drunk-driving-how-similar-are-they.
3. John F. Kennedy, “Letter from President Kennedy to Chairman Khrushchev,” April 18, 1961, Department of State, Presidential Correspondence: Lot 66 D 204. Available at https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1961-63v06/d10.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
PAIGE WETZEL is wife to double-amputee Retired Army Sgt. Josh Wetzel, and they have two beautiful daughters. Paige served as the Director of Volleyball Operations at Auburn University for four years, where Josh is the Assistant Director of Digital Media.
JOSH WETZEL has been promoted to Sergeant, received the Purple Heart award, and officially retired from the Army to live civilian life with his family. The Wetzels remain active in the support of veterans, enjoy serving at their home church, Church of the Highlands, and promoting Auburn Athletics. The Wetzels live in Auburn, Alabama.
PRAISE FOR BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN
“Our world needs stories of hope and healing now more than ever, and Beautifully Broken reminds us that God’s power is always at work in our lives. Authors Paige and Josh Wetzel are part of our church family, so I know firsthand what they’ve endured and how God has healed them and restored their marriage. Now everyone can discover the inspiring, uplifting story of their faith journey, guided by God’s love through some of life’s darkest moments.”
—Chris Hodges, Senior Pastor, Church of the Highlands, and author of The Daniel Dilemma and What’s Next?
“Most books are just words on pages. Beautifully Broken is much more than that. It’s a story of love, faith, and heroic conduct, unmatched in my view.
I may be biased. I met authors Josh and Paige Wetzel in 2013 as Josh was recovering from horrendous wounds sustained on the Afghan battlefield. I could not believe the strength of this couple.
What happened after Josh was wounded is related simply and emotionally in the book. After you read Beautifully Broken, you will never be the same.”
—Bill O’Reilly, journalist, author, and former television host
“The early-morning phone call. The terrified visit to Walter Reed. The rehab and the tears and the struggles and the triumphs of spirit and love. With their new book, Beautifully Broken, Paige and Army Sergeant Josh Wetzel have given a candid, heart-breaking, and ultimately life-affirming gift to the rest of us. A must-read for the 99% of us who enjoy the freedoms the other 1% sacrifice so much to defend.”
—Jake Tapper, CNN anchor and author of The Outpost
“I first met Paige and Josh while he was recovering at Walter Reed, shortly after he was injured in Afghanistan. Paige describes in beautiful prose the call no military spouse ever wants to receive: that her young
Army specialist husband had had lost both of his legs following an IED explosion. The couple writes of their journey home: the fear, the ketamine hallucinations after surgery, the birth of their two daughters, and how their faith carried them through their darkest days. The real test to their marriage came after they left Walter Reed. Paige knew she had married a soldier but had no idea she had also married the US Army. A love story of faith and resilience.”
—Jennifer Griffin, National Security Correspondent, Fox News
“I’m honored that my photograph of President Obama visiting Josh in the hospital has played a very small, but poignant, moment of his amazing story.”
—Pete Souza, former chief official White House photographer