Surviving Ind. soldier is in coma

HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) - The only survivor of a roadside bombing in Afghanistan that killed four members of an Indiana National Guard unit is in a drug-induced coma at a Virginia hospital with multiple wounds from the blast, his father said.

Gerald Rachowicz told The Times of Munster (http://bit.ly/zjxsgM ) that his 29-year-old son, Pvt. Doug Rachowicz of Hammond, is in serious condition and faces a long and painful recovery.

He said his son, a father of two, was driving a military van Thursday morning in Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan during a mission to clear a combat route of roadside bombs when it struck one of the bombs, blowing apart the vehicle.

The four other Indiana Guard soldiers in the truck were killed. All five of the soldiers were members of the Valparaiso-based 713th Engineer Company.

His fiancee's brother and the company's medic were in a van following the van destroyed by the blast and responded quickly to help Rachowicz in the aftermath.

"When they saw him trying to climb out, that's when they jumped out of the truck to help him," Gerald Rachowicz said. "That's probably what saved his life."

Doug Rachowicz was rushed to a U.S. military hospital in Afghanistan before being airlifted to Landstuhl, Germany. He said his son arrived Sunday at a Virginia hospital, where he'll be re-evaluated and prepared for multiple surgeries.

Although the soldier's 6-year-old daughter, Jenna Rachowicz, and son, 12-year-old Dylan Rachowicz, won't be able to fly out to see their father yet, other family members have rushed to his bedside.

Gerald Rachowicz planned to travel to Virginia on Monday.

Spc. Brian J. Leonhardt, 21, of Merrillville; Spc. Robert J. Tauteris Jr., 44, of Hamlet; Staff Sgt. Jonathan M. Metzger, 32, of Indianapolis; and Spc. Christopher A. Patterson, 20, of Aurora, Ill., were killed in the explosion.

Their remains were returned Sunday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Gerald Rachowicz said doctors tested whether his son had brain damage by taking him out of the coma at one point to assess his capabilities.

"He was able to answer questions and move his feet and hands, but he is still in serious condition. ... I don't know if he will remember the explosion," he said.

Gerald Rachowicz said his son's jaw and sinus cavity are broken, his front teeth were knocked out, and pins will be needed to repair his pelvis. He also has ruptured and broken discs in his back, and his lungs were damaged.

"You know, teeth missing and broken bones — that can all be fixed," he said. "I think I'll be happy to see him no matter what he looks like."

Doug Rachowicz grew up in Lynwood, Ill., attended Thornton Fractional South High School and worked in Cedar Lake, Ind., as a jailer before joining up, his father said.

Doug Rachowicz had just spoken to his family the day before the explosion, his father said.

"He liked the friends he made there," Gerald Rachowicz said. "He liked the Army."