Belleville community welcomes injured soldier

BELLEVILLE — The family and friends of an injured Fort Drum soldier came out for a surprise reception Thursday night to welcome him home for Christmas.

Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey P. Hackett, serving with Fort Drum’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, was injured in an IED attack in Afghanistan in August. His left leg was fractured, his right leg had to be amputated at the knee and his right arm required major skin grafts from his back.

Despite these harrowing injuries, the mood at the Barley Pub was upbeat. As Sgt. Hackett entered the surprise reception with the help of a cane, he received a standing ovation.

“He didn’t know it was coming,” said his wife, Bobbie Jo Hackett.

Sgt. Hackett, who has been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., since returning to the states, said it was awesome to be home.

“Unfortunately it’s this way, but I’m glad to be alive,” Sgt. Hackett said. He thanked his wife for her support.

“She’s been here for me, and it’s amazing,” Sgt. Hackett said.

Mrs. Hackett said it was frustrating to see her husband struggle physically, but she enjoyed seeing him achieve small milestones. He was able to hold his 2-year-old daughter, Arionna, last week for the first time since the attack.

“His physical therapist said he’s one of the most motivated people she’d ever seen,” Mrs. Hackett said.

While Sgt. Hackett’s recovery so far has been encouraging, both he and Mrs. Hackett know there are some adjustments to make. The entry to the family’s home on Swan Road, purchased only a week before the attack, is not wide enough to handle a wheelchair.

The couple applied for a Department of Veterans Affairs grant to improve their home’s accessibility. They received a grant that will supply them with a new van next week.

When they were away, neighbors stepped up to do chores, such as mowing the lawn.

“She didn’t need to be worried about what’s happening here,” said Elizabeth M. “Betsy” Ormsby, a neighbor of the Hacketts who helped plan the reception.

The Hacketts will return to Bethesda with their three daughters, Caitlyn, Makenna and Arionna, on Jan. 2.