A True Patriot: Wounded Warrior Finishes What He Started at DBU 20 Years Ago

Within just three semesters of beginning his college degree and playing soccer at Dallas Baptist University in 1998, Corsicana native Jay Fondren enlisted to serve in the U.S. military. While on duty in Iraq in 2004, on the day before Thanksgiving, his envoy who was out on routine patrol in Baghdad was struck by an IED explosive device.

Jay lost both of his legs, but not his faith nor his determination to serve God, accrediting the power of prayer in carrying him through his difficult road of recovery.

Since then, the married father to six children has devoted his life to helping other veterans as the Texas Outreach manager for the PTSD Foundation of America.

Twenty years after the accident, in December of 2019, Jay completed what he started at DBU. After being specially introduced to the graduation audience by President Dr. Adam C. Wright, Jay crossed the stage to a standing ovation, receiving his diploma for a bachelor's degree in leadership.

View more of Jay's story on KWTX.