By Denise Crosby
stmedianetwork.com

You can tell from the photo that Kyle Moser is getting stronger.

The picture of the young Oswego Marine visiting with Vice President Joe Biden was taken on Christmas Day at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, Md., where Moser is recuperating after losing both legs and part of his right hand from an IED explosion in Afghanistan the week of Thanksgiving.

According to Patricia Zander, her son has been “working hard” since we last checked in on him when he was awarded two Purple Hearts for his near-fatal injuries.

Certainly, he’s got plenty of incentive to keep plugging away.

For his 20th birthday in December, the organization Hope for Warriors arranged for former Bears quarterback Jim McMahon to Skype (use Internet video conferencing) with Moser. And the punky QB invited the spunky Marine to the Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.

Kyle must “keep up with his physical therapy and get off all his IVs,” according to his mother. “But he is determined to get to the point he will be able to attend” the pro football championship game.

One thing for sure: Everyone here in the Fox Valley is pulling for him. Many readers have asked for his address so they can send cards or letter. And so, here it is:

LCpl. Kyle Moser
8901 Wisconsin Ave.
Building 10, Room 440 East
Bethesda, MD 20889

Others have offered to put his family in touch with organizations dedicated to helping injured troops, such as the Disabled Patriot Fund, an all-volunteer group of area business people and local officials.

The Lance Cpl. Kyle Moser Fund was set up at Oswego Community Bank not long after he was injured. And others have stepped forward to add to the coffers: such as Kati Conklin, a Thirty-One Gifts consultant who donated all proceeds from the sale of a thermal tote.

Also, on Jan. 14, Bare Bones CrossFit of Yorkville, an extreme-exercise facility at 125 W. Wheaton Ave., is holding a “Fight Gone Bad” workout and silent auction for Moser.

“We’ve had a big response, not just from our clientèle but others in the community,” said owner Dave Kiest, a former Oswego police officer who has worked as a private contractor in Afghanistan. In fact, more workouts have been added throughout the day, he noted, and if people want to take part or just come in and watch, they can call 630-816-0574.

Russ Harrison, owner of Architectural Support Services of Oswego, has offered to build wheelchair ramps, not only for the Oswego home of Kyle’s mom — where the injured Marine and his wife Alex will move after his hospital release — but also the Yorkville home of Kyle’s father, Bob Moser.

“We will supply the labor, expertise and tools,” said Harrison. “We just need others to supply the raw materials.”

In the meantime, Moser continues to grow stronger. Zander said her son started on that “long and hard road” of rehab a week ago and soon will be moving from the trauma center to the physical rehabilitation department.

Moser is finished with major surgeries until the beginning of February, when doctors will take the bone from his leg, which has been harvesting since December in his stomach, and place it into his damaged right hand, where he now has pins and a rod.

His mother said Moser is “up and about in the wheelchair almost every day, and enjoys getting outside when the weather isn’t too cold.”

And next month, he has every intention of being in the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl kickoff.

Said Zander of her son, “He’s on a mission.”

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