After the blast, I didn’t recognize the man in the mirror. My face changed, my voice too, and strangers either stared or looked away. I wore a hoodie everywhere, hiding from whispers and pity. No one asked what really happened—until Lena, a reporter, said, “Tell me the part no one hears.” So I did.

I told her about saving my buddy Carlos from a burning Humvee, about waking up in a hospital and being called a hero. I didn’t feel like one—until a woman thanked me for saving her brother. That moment shifted something in me.

Lena’s article told the truth—not just about the blast, but the silent battles afterward. It helped people see beyond the scars. Even Carlos reached out, and we began to heal together.

Volunteering at a burn center helped me find purpose. My scars didn’t vanish, but they became symbols of survival. I finally saw myself—not as broken, but as whole.