When terrorists struck America on September 11th, Dr. Jerrold Grodin waited nine hours to hear from his daughter, who was a college student in New York City.
The next day, Grodin went to see an Army recruiter.
"As far as I was concerned, those bad guys came after my little girl, " he said.
It wasn't long before he was in Iraq treating U.S. soldiers.
"You see extreme wounds -- wounds from high velocity projectiles, from blast injury. It is a huge challenge," he said.
Grodin also traded a life of comfort for one with few frills.
"You work. You stay in shape. And then you read. That's pretty much about it," he says of his spartan lifestyle in an Army camp.
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Grodin's co-workers at Baylor Medical Center recently welcomed him home.
"It blew me away," he said. "I was very overcome by the kindness and generosity of all of my colleagues."
Grodin said his two visits to Iraq have given him a clear perspective on life in America.
"Life is sweeter, and life is better because of the service I have done," he said.
And despite his own sacrifice, Grodin said he has benefitted from treating U.S. soldiers.
"I get to take care of our finest Americans," he said. "What I get out of it is immeasurable -- much, much more than I give."
