Kenosha Marine critically injured during attack in Kabul, Afghanistan

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, will leave a lasting impact on veterans, military service members and those who love them. That includes one family here in southeastern Wisconsin, whose son was critically injured in the attack.

A family from Kenosha told CBS 58 the attack in Kabul left their son with extensive injuries. His mom, Lynda, said he will heal physically, but she does not yet know what the emotional toll will be long-term.

As word came in of the attack, Lynda said family and friends started reaching out to her.

"We cried, we yelled and we just sat numbly watching tv and scanning every outlet we could," she said.

Lynda and her husband searched for answers. They knew their son, who is a Marine, had been at the Kabul airport. But they did not know whether he was OK.

"We just immediately started praying," she said.

Her prayers were answered Thursday, Aug. 26, when she got a phone call from her son -- just a minute and 48 seconds long.

"I got a 1 minute and 48 second phone call from my son that said: 'Mom, we got *****, but I'm alive,'" she said. 

She explained that she did not want to extend the phone call any longer because she also knew other families were waiting for phone calls from their children.

"Obviously a million things running through my head and all I could do was say, 'I love you son. You're going to be OK, and be safe," Lynda said.

She said her son was in a lot of pain and considered to be "critically injured," in the attack. He was flown out of Afghanistan and is being treated at a hospital in another country.

"He is going to survive," she said, adding that that was the most important part. "He was in a lot of pain, and he has very extensive injuries."

Lynda, whose daughter is also a Marine, has found support through the Blue Star Mothers of Southeastern Wisconsin, an organization made up of military moms and other family members.

"You know something went down. You know where your child is at it. No matter how old they are, they are always your child, and you pray that it's not the knock on the door," said Dawn Herrmann, whose son was wounded in Iraq and is also a member of the chapter.

Lynn is sharing her story to ask people to pray for families like hers, the families who got the knock on the door, and the families who still have someone in Afghanistan.

"My daughter is safe and on U.S. soil, and my son will be back on U.S. soil as soon as possible," she said. "It wrecks me to think about his brothers and sisters that are still there, still fighting that fight," she said.

Lynda asks people for love and empathy. She said it has been a difficult few weeks ever since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban.

"You don't have to understand what I'm going through, but just be empathetic. I have literally cried every day out of the blue, sometimes for no reason," she said.

Moms from Blue Star Mothers of Southeastern Wisconsin told CBS 58 the best things people can do right now: Send prayers overseas. Check in with the people they know who served. Get them help if they need it. And tell them 'thank you for your service.'

Here are some national resources to help be there for veterans during this difficult time. The Milwaukee VA Medical Center also has mental health and suicide resources for veterans.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.