Green Country Mother Talks About Son-In-Law Injured In Iraq

A Green Country mom says this Mother's Day will be bittersweet. Her son-in-law is recovering after being injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Shrapnel tore through Army Specialist John Jinks' leg

Saturday, May 12th 2007, 4:03 pm

By: News On 6

A Green Country mom says this Mother's Day will be bittersweet. Her son-in-law is recovering after being injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Shrapnel tore through Army Specialist John Jinks' leg while he was patrolling the streets of Baghdad last weekend. The News On 6â€™s Chris Wright reports Jinks' wife and children are in Germany by his side to ease his fears during his recovery.

Carolynn Swanson says her son-in law is lucky to be alive. The vehicle Jinks was riding in last Sunday hit an IED. The blast killed the other soldier in the vehicle. Jinks was rushed to Germany for surgery.

"He was injured, a lot of shrapnel went through his leg,â€ said Swanson. â€œHe has five holes in his legs."

Jinksâ€™ wife Samantha already lives in Germany with their two children, 2-year-old Caitlyn and 4-year-old Patrick. She rushed to her husband's side as soon as she got word.

"But when she got there, she was relieved to be by his side, and it made him happy that she was there by his side," said Swanson.

Swanson says her daughter wasn't able to stay by her husband's side for long. She says Samantha Jinks was told the daycare at the base was full, and she and the kids would have to leave.

"It really upset me that my daughter had to leave her husband, who's in tears because his wife is leaving his side," said Swanson.

Swanson says the kids have since been allowed to return. There is no word on how just long Jinksâ€™ recovery will take, although his mother-in-law believes he will be released from the hospital sometime next week. Still, knowing what her family is going through, she says Sunday will be tough.

"This has put a big damper on mother's day, it really has," Swanson said.

Specialist Jinks had been in Iraq since September of last year and overseas since 2005. He lived in Germany for a year and a half before heading to Iraq.