A community is rallying around a hometown hero. 20-year-old Specialist Jonathon Gideon was wounded last month when a roadside bomb hit his vehicle in Afghanistan. The Chowchilla native broke both his legs and has had six surgeries. He's still recovering in a Texas hospital, but the hope is he'll be able to come home in a few week. When he does, friends, family and even strangers will wrap trees with yellow ribbons and line the street to give him a hero's welcome.
Gideon was wounded on his last mission of deployment.
"He's been through about six surgeries on the left leg and right now it's just a lot of pain management and physical therapy to try to get him to bend the knee," said Larry Gideon, his father.
Gideon's mother and wife have been with him since Thanksgiving. He has two children, a three-year-old daughter and an infant son. He said by phone he wishes they could all be together for Christmas.
"If this wouldn't have happened, I'd be home. My leave would have started three days from now. I'm kind of bummed out I won't be there for Christmas," said Gideon from his hospital bed.
Since finding out about the accident, Chowchilla resident Mary Pittman has been trying to help.
"He's a hometown boy. It's a small community and I think small communities need to take care of each other," said Pittman.
Donations are being accepted at several shops around Chowchilla. Things like toys for the children and money for travel expenses are being dropped off. Gideon's father asks that people also remember those who won't come home. His friend didn't survive the accident.
"We want to really think of his family and the other soldiers who put their lives on the line everyday," said Larry Gideon.