BELL HOMECOMING DELAYED - John Griffin Covering Return Of Wirt Soldiers

(08/02/2003)
By Bob Weaver/John Griffin

Wirt County native Sgt. David Bell was suppose to come home to Newark for a homecoming last night at Newark. His return was canceled.

Hur Herald reporter and photographer John Griffin had planned to attend the open house last night. Griffin has been buy in Wirt covering the return of Jessica Lynch, among other events.

The bad news was also the good news. He had some complications that are requiring him to remain in Dallas for surgery next Tuesday, and what was to have been a number of different procedures could be wrapped up rather quickly.

Reporter and photographer John Griffin has been covering the Lynch homecoming and the return of other soldiers to Wirt County, shown here under CNN's umbrella

Sgt. Bell received serious trauma to the head in a training accident in California that left him without his left eye on May 20th.

The Wirt County community recently raised some money to help the Bell family with expenses, but now a anonymous benefactor is helping Bell with his problems. The benefactor paid for David, his wife and two children to fly to Dallas to see a specialist, according to his mother, Betsy Bell. Surgery is also scheduled to reconstruct Bell's eyelids.

The Bell family continues to be grateful for his recovery and for all the people who have offered prayers and assistance.