A young Marine severely wounded in Iraq is finally leaving a West Haverstraw hospital to head home. Sergeant Eddie Ryan was shot twice in the head in April 2005 when he was 21 and only two months into his tour of duty in Iraq. Ryan spent nearly a year at Helen Hayes Hospital recovering from his injuries. Ryan?s parents, friends, hospital staff and nearly 100 veterans saluted Sgt. Ryan, who was awarded the Purple Heart, as he left the hospital to go home to Ellenville.

The support of veterans gave the Ryan family great hope in the midst of the long road towards recovery. Another veteran donated a van and fundraisers have helped to make the Ryan household handicap accessible.