Sgt. Brendan M. Ferreira has been undergoing a painful recovery after a suicide bomber attack in Afghanistan left him critically injured, but a visit from first lady Michelle Obama last week did a lot to lift his spirits.
FREETOWN — For the past two months, Sgt. Brendan M. Ferreira of Assonet has been undergoing an excruciatingly painful recovery at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center after a suicide bomber attack in Afghanistan left him critically injured, but a visit from first lady Michelle Obama last week did a lot to lift his spirits.
"It was definitely nice to see her," Ferreira, 23, said in a telephone interview shortly after surgery to implant a nerve block that will help control his pain. "The nurses who have been here a long time said that not many first ladies come to visit. She recognized her responsibility as first lady was to talk to the troops even when they are in here, and I respect that."
On March 9, Ferreira was talking with fellow soldiers before turning in for the night when a local contractor set off an explosive, killing himself and two American soldiers.
The explosion, which could be seen from 3 miles away, was followed by hostile gunfire.
"He was awake for the whole thing," said Michael Ferreira, Brendan's father. "He said he was screaming for help and knew his hand was gone. His facial bones were shattered, and he thought his right foot was gone because it was turned one way and the bone was sticking out of his body the other way."
"There was a medic, a private, there that Brendan can't say enough about. He pulled Brendan out of harm's way and even tried to go back for his hand."
According to Brendan, the unidentified medic courageously saved his life and tried to save the two soldiers who didn't make it.
Ferreira suffered the amputation of his left arm, serious sight impairment in both eyes, 100 percent hearing loss in one ear and 50 percent loss in the other, multiple broken bones in his face, legs and torso, and severe lacerations and burns on his entire body.
"I didn't recognize my own son. I thought they had the wrong soldier when I first saw him," said Michael Ferreira, who with his wife, Lisa, have been driving back and forth to Washington, D.C., to be at their son's bedside.
"Brendan has had so many operations, in the double digits. ... There are times when he is in a tremendous amount of pain, but he is still in good spirits," Ferreira said. "I can count on one hand the times I saw him break down, mainly when they told him about the guys who were killed. One of them was his good friend."
Ferreira joined the military four years ago and is a member of the 101 Air Assault Division out of Fort Campbell, Ky.
Before serving in Afghanistan, he was deployed for 1½ years to Iraq.
The elder Ferreira described his son as a "social butterfly" who has related well to others since he was a student at Freetown Elementary School.
Ferreira is a graduate of the arboriculture program at Bristol County Agricultural High School, where he was a member of the track team.
He also is an avid motocross enthusiast and Red Sox fan.
Despite the long recovery ahead of him, Ferreira had a message for friends and family: "Stay strong. I'm kickin' butt down here."
A number of fundraisers have been planned in the area to help with Ferreira's long-term needs.
The family requests that donations and cards for Brendan be sent to the Brendan Ferreira Recovery Fund, 106 Longmeadow Road, Taunton, MA 02780, Attention: Jason Ferreira.
Also, the fourth annual Freetown Memorial Park Fundraiser and Motorcycle Poker Run on June 27 will give 50 percent of its proceeds to the Ferreira family. For information about the run, call (774) 930-4392.
"There is more good in this world than bad," Michael Ferreira said. "People have been there for us for anything and everything. Brendan was excited to hear about the bike run. He loved motocross so much. We talked about buying a Harley someday so he can ride with me."