Jessica Lynch remains haunted by Iraq 10 years after dramatic and historic rescue
he 29-year-old Lynch is now a mother to 6-year-old Dakota, but still suffers nightmares. 'About every night I have some kind of dream where there’s someone chasing me,' she says.
Ten years after becoming the first American POW to be rescued since the Vietnam War, soldier Jessica Lynch has blossomed into a mother, teacher and motivational speaker - but she still is haunted by what happened in Iraq.
“About every night I have some kind of dream where there’s someone chasing me,’’ the 29-year-old Lynch told the "Today" show on Monday. “It’s hard. It really is mentally and physically draining. I’m very blessed and happy to be here, and I think that’s what counts the most, and if I tell myself that I’m OK, I eventually I start (thinking), 'You know what? I can do this.'"
Lynch, who lives with 6-year-old daughter Dakota in her hometown of Charleston, W. Va., became a symbol for Americans fighting abroad after she was rescued by U.S. Special Forces from an Iraqi hospital on April 1, 2003.
Her exploits became the stuff of legend, so much so that she testified before Congress to clear the air after some people expanded her role in the firefight that led to her capture. She told Congress she was a survivor, not a hero. In fact, she has needed 21 surgeries since the rescue.
“I know that there was a lot of fabricated, misconstrued stories, but I did what I had to do,’’ Lynch told "Today". “I came out and tried to tell the world what really happened. I set the record straight as much as I can and what people still want to believe or not believe, that’s on them, but I felt it was important to just let the truth be known."
The truth is, Lynch saw 11 members of her company die during the firefight, including her best friend, Lori Piestewa.
“It’s so hard to continue every day knowing that Lori didn’t make it home with me,’’ Lynch told "Today". “The reason that she went over there was to be with me and our other comrades, and sadly she didn’t get to come back home, so (I’m) just having to deal with the fact that my best friend didn’t get to come back and I did.
"She had two beautiful kids. It’s just really hard to know they’re going to have to grow up without their mom."
Despite the nightmares, Lynch is looking ahead, not behind. She is engaged to Dakota's father and working on a Master's degree.
“I’m kind of happy that we’re finally to this 10-year mark so that I can finally put Iraq in the past," she said. "I know that it will always be with me. It’s nice to make that mark of ‘I’ve made it this far.’ It’s always going to be with my life, waking up every day and dealing with the injuries. I go on and I strive and I do the best that I can."
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