[ WAR IN IRAQ ]
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KITV 4
Sean Mohika, of the Army's 101st Airborne Division, was hospitalized in serious condition in San Antonio, Texas, after suffering severe burns from a bunker blast in Iraq.
Iraq war burns put
isle soldier in hospitalThe Army helicopter maintenance
worker is awaiting surgery
near San AntonioA Hawaii man serving with the 101st Airborne Division was badly burned in Iraq and flown to a military hospital at Fort Sam Houston near San Antonio, the soldier's mother said yesterday.
Army officials told Vanessa Gandy that her son, Spc. Sean Mohika, was walking by a bunker with two other soldiers when there was a flash. Mohika suffered second- and third-degree burns.
Mohika, 21, is listed as being very seriously injured and is on life support, Gandy said. She said doctors told her that her son is heavily sedated after he was flown from Iraq to Germany and then to San Antonio yesterday.
Gandy said doctors told her that her son will require surgery. She said they told her they will give her more information in person when she gets to Texas.
Mohika's father left Hawaii last night, and Gandy said she will be leaving as soon as the military makes her flight arrangements. Other family members are also making plans to fly to Texas.
"I believe he's going to pull through," she added.
The other two soldiers who were injured in the incident were Mohika's friends, and Gandy said she will also be meeting with their families.
"I was kind of devastated when I heard the news on Sunday," Gandy said. She said had not heard from her son since February when he called to tell her he was being deployed.
"I thought since it was Easter, maybe the troops would be allowed to call home, so I kind of anticipated hearing from him, but not like this."
Gandy said the incident occurred on Saturday, but she had moved and the Army was not able to get in touch with her immediately. She said the Red Cross tracked down Mohika's father, who got word to Gandy's mother.
"My mother came to my house and brought the news to me to call Fort Campbell, Ky."
Mohika, a 1999 Aiea High School graduate, joined the Army just after graduation and maintains helicopters.
Two of his uncles also served in the Army.
"He's my hero, and I don't care what anybody says. He's a hero for the brothers and sisters in Iraq that he doesn't even know, and he's a hero for Hawaii," Gandy said.
Gandy said cards and letters can be sent to Sean Mohika, 3851 Roger Brooke Drive, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.
She said a teacher called last night and said she would get her elementary school class to write.
Mohika, Gandy's only child, was back home in January after serving in Afghanistan and knew he was going to be going to Iraq.
"I asked him if he was scared, and he didn't respond," Gandy said.
"He talked about Iraq. 'How would you feel to be living under conditions like those?' He turned the question on me."
Gandy said the Army is more than just a job for her son. She thinks he felt he was accomplishing something.
"I am very proud of him for going out there. I wouldn't want to live under those conditions. A lot of us take a lot of things for granted, especially our freedom."
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