By: Sandy Dickson

When Wadsworth son of Aime and Ron Gramer, Marine Lance Corporal John Daniel Gramer, was injured in a training explosion in Iraq in October of 2008, even the doctors didn’t know it would be such an arduous process to get healed. A staple-sized piece of shrapnel had ripped through his femoral artery, which was patched up in Germany, but the fact that it had nicked his iliac artery as well, was unknown at the time. Subsequent profuse internal bleeding almost caused him to lose his life, but fortunately, a doctor specializing in this just happened to be visiting Camp Lejuene, NC, where Gramer had been transferred, who was able to perform a lifesaving operation.

Gramer, now age 23, came home to Wadsworth in October of 2010 after being medically retired, but has dealt with medical problems since his injury because of nerve damage.

Anna Sherony, working with Wounded Freedom Fighters, who has orchestrated many wonderful things to honor our war heroes, was responsible once more for arranging the donation of the new pearlized royal blue and fully loaded 2011 Chevy Cruz Eco car, known for getting 42 MPG and enough leg room to accommodate Gramer’s need to stretch his legs because of his nerve damage.

Gramer didn’t know he was to be given a car, even though his own was about to conk out permanently and he was desperately in need of a new ride. He only knew that he was told to show up at Raymond Chevrolet in Antioch and that there would be some flags and fanfare by former veterans since he never received the hero’s welcome of so many other vets.

His grandmother, Karin Dietmeyer of Wadsworth, had driven him to the car dealership and then handed him the keys to the awaiting new Cruze Eco.

“This is more than I could ever dream of,” Gramer said.

Dealership owner Raymond Scarpelli said, “It’s easy to give back. I’ve been very blessed with good business and good community, so why not?”

Gramer is still on the road to recovery from his injuries while attending College of Lake County for his Associates degree, to be followed by going to the Northern Illinois University for a teaching degree for history.

The Semper Fi Fund, Disabled Patriot Fund and group For The Fallen work hard to provide vehicles for our wounded heroes. Other supporters for this mission to provide Gramer with a car were Midland national Life Insurance Company and SIGMA Financial Corporation.