Pfc. Jacob Lyerla, 19, of Milroy, will spend his rapidly approaching birthday in the hospital, recovering from injuries he suffered from head to toe when a roadside bomb exploded near his patrol in Afghanistan.

Lyerla, a 2008 graduate of Rushville Consolidated High School, graduated from U.S. Army basic training in October 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan Feb. 15, 2009.

He and three other soldiers were working on clearing a road of explosive devices Sept. 20 of this year when an IED (improvised explosive device) went off, killing one soldier and injuring Lyerla and two others.

The Rush County soldier’s injuries included a fractured eye socket, fractured cheek bone, broken right arm, two broken legs, a shattered right ankle and fractured vertebrae in his back including C6, C7, T3 through T8 and T12.

The injuries to his spine have resulted in paralysis.

His mother, Julie Tackett of Milroy, said her son has been through multiple surgeries and she remains hopeful regarding his long-term prognosis.

“They’ve done most of his surgeries except for this left leg,” she said. “They’ve put his right leg back together and his arm is back together. The T12 vertebrae, they went in and fused two above and two below it so it’s stabilized. As far as being able to walk again, they’re optimistic. They told me anything could happen ... he’s young and in good shape.”

His mom described her son as someone who enjoyed the military and what he was doing.

“He loved the Army,” she said. “He loved going out and looking for bombs and clearing the roadways so everyone else could get through. The best way to describe Jacob is probably attitude and full of health.”

Jacob has several siblings. They are Joshua Lyerla, 16, Rachel Tackett, 29, Nikki Tackett, 28, Trudy Tackett, 25, Katrina Tackett, 21, Courtney Tackett, 19, Patty Tackett, 17, and William Tackett, 11.

Lyerla’s birthday is Nov. 13 — next Friday. It is hoped family, friends and those reading this story will send him a birthday or get well card.

His mailing address is:

Pfc. Jacob Lyerla

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Ward 58