The episode of The Spear is the first of two parts of a conversation with Ryan Hendrickson. In the next episode, you’ll hear a really incredible and vivid combat story from 2016—the story of an event for which Ryan was awarded the Silver Star. But what makes that story even more compelling is that in 2010, Ryan stepped on an IED, and the explosion almost cost him his leg. But he fought through an intense recovery, and had to fight just to stay in the Army. That’s the story you’ll hear in this episode. He talks through the mission and the day he got hit—and he talks about the aftermath.
The Spear is MWI’s platform to explore the combat experience. Each episode includes a single, one-on-one interview with a guest who walks us through a particular event and their role in it—a battle, a firefight, a mission—it’s a first-person account of combat.
Subscribe to The Spear on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and listen to the full episode below.
SSGT Dustin Roderigas USA (ret) a good friend I met while providing soldier support. He endured 22 IED blasts and kept going back. The 23rd put him and his Bradley gunner in hospital. The accumulation of blast effects on the body and the mind never occurred to him until he was at Ft. Carson and the MD told his that it was DEFINITELY not normal. The trauma to the mind and body need to be considered and more study is called for. Going back afterwards…well that's described well in this cast. Looking forward to Part 2.
So completely proud of my brother. He, as has many, has gone through so much in his time, and stood strong through it all!!! Thank you to him, and to every other man and woman who put their life on the line for all of us. THANK YOU!!