BETHESDA, MD — Local Marine Kelsee Lainhart is thanking everyone for their words of encouragement, support, cards, packages, and everything else since she was transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Cpl. Lainhart is a 2019 East Central High School graduate who was seriously wounded in the August 26 terrorist attack at the Kabul, Afghanistan airport. Thirteen fellow service members, including Marine Cpl. and Logansport native Humberto Sanchez, were killed in the suicide bombing.
All of the tubes, wires, and IVs she had been hooked up to have been removed, and she is looking forward to starting physical therapy soon.
In addition, some significant events in her life have taken place in the past few weeks.
She was awarded the Purple Heart in August, shortly after the attack, by the Commandant and Sergeant Major of the United States Marine Corps.
She celebrated her 20th birthday last Friday.
One day later, her parents, Glen and Stacey Lainhart laid a ceremonial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in honor of their daughter.
Lainhart’s family has been posting updates on Caring Bridge, and she wrote an update this week for the first time since she arrived at Walter Reed after suffering multiple injuries in Afghanistan:
“First and foremost, thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that has reached out with kind words over social media, sent cards, packages, flowers, and everything in between that I could possibly need. Thank you to everyone that has visited me. I really appreciate all of you,” Lainhart wrote.
“I am blown away by the support that I have received not only from my community back home but all across the country. The amount of people that genuinely care about what happened and have shown love and support to me and the other marines that were injured as well as to the families of those who passed really warms my heart and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of you.
“To sum everything up, I am so beyond grateful and thankful to everyone that has shown support to me, my family, the other injured Marines, and the families of the ones that passed. I’ll never forget this kindness that I have been shown. Please continue to pray for a full, complete recovery as I begin the process of getting into and starting rehab,” Lainhart wrote.
“In my mind, there is no other option than to be walking again,” Lainhart added.
Anyone who wants to send a card, letter, or package to Cpl. Lainhart should use the following address:
Corporal Kelsee Lainhart
WRNMMC / Postal Ops
General Delivery
8901 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD. 20889
In addition, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help support her recovery.
