The President and a soldier whose hand was amputated-Mostly Truth!

President Bush's Greeting and Prayer for a Wounded Soldier Who Lost His Right Hand-Mostly Truth!

Summary of the eRumor
President George W. Bush is described as having held a wounded U.S. soldier's stump, where he had lost his hand, and praying for him. A story told by U.S. Sergeant Major Jack Tilley. The story was related by Chaplain James Henderson of the Association of the U.S. Army, the Redstone Huntsville chapter.

The Truth
The story is true although there are slightly conflicting details.
A spokesperson for the Sgt. Major Jack Tilley told TruthOrFiction.com that the eRumor is based on some real events, but is not entirely accurate.
He says that although both President Bush and Sgt. Major Tilley have visited wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, they have never done so together.
During one of his visits, Sgt. Major Tilley met a special forces soldier who lost his right hand in an accident involving a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
The soldier offered his limb to Tilley in greeting.
Tilley shook his bandaged arm, presented him with a coin, and said, "God bless you."
A few days later, President Bush visited the hospital, greeted several soldiers and presented many with medals.
Mr. Bush also encountered the same soldier who had lost his right hand.
When the soldier offered his limb in greeting, the president cupped his bandaged arm in both hands, said "God bless you," and kissed the soldier on the forehead, according to Sgt. Major Tilley's spokesperson.

Chaplain James Henderson told TruthOrFiction.com that when Sgt. Major Jack Tilley told this story at a meeting, he and others came away with the impression that both Tilley and Bush had visited the soldier at the same time. Sgt. Major Tilley later told Henderson that he and the president had not visited the soldier together.

Last updated 10/23/05

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

A story worth sharing...

An unreported story worth sharing... At a recent
Soldiers Breakfast held at Redstone Arsenal, AL,
Sergeant Major of the Army Jack Tilley shared the
following story. (The vignette was captured by James
Henderson, Association of the U.S. Army Redstone
Huntsville Chapter Chaplain. Please distribute far and
wide...it is worth sharing!!)
He (SMA Jack Tilley) described one such recent visit
to our wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center
in Washington that I (Chaplain Henderson) will never
forget.

"The Special Forces soldier had lost his right hand
and suffered severe wounds of his face and side of his
body. As SMA Tilley described, how do you honor such a
soldier, showing respect without offending?

What can you say or do in such a situation that will
encourage and uplift? How do you shake the right hand
of a soldier who just lost his? Finally he told how he
acted as though the man had a hand, taking his wrist
as though it were his hand and speaking encouragement
to him.

But he said there was another man in that group of
visitors who had even brought his wife with him to
visit the wounded who knew exactly what to do. This
man reverently took this soldier's stump of a hand in
both of his hands, bowed at the bedside and prayed for
him. When he stood from praying he bent over and
kissed the man on the head and told him he loved him.

What a powerful _expression of love for one our
wounded heroes! And what a beautiful Christ-like
example! What kind of man would kneel in such humility
and submission to the Living God of the Bible?

It was George W. Bush, President of the United States
and Commander in Chief of our Armed forces, a man who
understands and follows his chain of command, a leader
God has given us.