So much has happened and is happening since John McClellan received that near fatal sniper shot through his head in September of 2006. His short term memory has continued to improve and his face is almost 100% restored.
On August 17, 2009, John moved to Jacksonville, FL to take part in the Wounded Warrior Project TRACK program. As a part of the WW Project, John enrolled in Florida State College at Jacksonville where he began his college career working towards a degree in Nutrition and Fitness. In August of 2010, John returned to his hometown of Columbia, MO and enrolled as a sophomore at the University of Missouri.
Shortly after returning to Columbia in August of 2010, John proposed to his best friend, Chrissa Phillips...and...she said yes!
May 21, 2011 Chrissa and John were married. Mario Anes, the young Marine that God used to save John's life, was his Best Man.
And the most recent miracle in this continuing 'miracle saga' is that John and Chrissa are expecting little 'Baby Mac' in May of 2012!!
SEE THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE FOR MORE AMAZING HAPPENINGS:
On April 28th, the McClellans were interviewed for The 700 Club. Following is the video of the interview:
On May 30th, 2009, the McClellan's received an e-mail (through this website) from Ssgt. Shaye Gruett, USAF. Shaye is the medic who attended to John when he first arrived at Balad Hospital in Iraq immediately after he was shot. This was an amazing e-mail for the McClellan family as Shaye was able to provide the missing informational puzzle pieces to this amazing story. She remembered John, and remembered holding his hand and talking to him, even though he was unconscious. She also remembers praying for him and telling him, after she saw his "LUCKY" tattoo, that she hoped his luck would hold out. In addition, she informed the family of the doctor's name who performed the (totally) successful brain surgery on John. Connie McClellan has since located and contacted the doctor through Facebook. She is awaiting his response.
Shaye also sent pictures of the hospital in Balad. At the time John was there, the hospital was a "tent " hospital. It has since been built into a permanent facility. Below is a picture of the hospital as it was when John was there. Balad is the hospital in Iraq, where the majority of injured soldiers and Marines are taken first.
AMAZING UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!
Upon receipt of the e-mail from John's medic, Shaye Gruett, Connie McClellan forwarded Shaye's e-mail to her e-mail address book which included her fellow Marine Mom friend, Barb Lopez, mother of Marine Joe Lopez from Sprngfield, MO.
In October, 2006, Joe Lopez arrived at Bethesda National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) a week after John McClellan. Barb Lopez and Connie McClellan met in the NNMC waiting room of the hospital, and have been "e-mates" ever since.
In late September of 2006, Joe had been given a small pox vaccine immediately prior to his deployment to Iraq. Almost immediately after arriving in Iraq, Joe had an extreme, adverse reaction to the vaccine. His organs began shutting down and he was very close to death. He, also, was transported to the hospital in Balad, where he was put on a respirator.. This was approximately one week after John McClellan had been at Balad.
When Barb Lopez received Connie McClellan's e-mail about Shaye Gruett's contact, Barb e-mailed Shaye to see if she remembered Joe or possibly knew someone that might have been there with him. Not only did Shaye remember Joe...she had pictures of him immediately after he arrived in Balad! Following is a picture of Joe (note he is laying on the body bag in which he was brought in to the hospital) with the Chaplain's hand on his head and the Chaplain is praying for him!!! Connie and Barb are still reeling from this incredible, what Connie calls, "Godsidence," (Coincidence of God).
On October 25, 2009, John ran in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. While in DC John, his Mom, and his (then) girlfriend, (now fiance')Chrissa Phillips attended a reception hosted by the Marineparents.com. At the reception, John and Joe Lopez, who also participated in the USMC Marathon, were reunited with Shaye Gruett and two of her fellow medics all of whom attended to John and Joe at Balad Hospital. According to John's Mom, it was a MAGICAL reunion.
