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Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian and Mel Birdwell
Married: May 16, 1987
Hometown: Manassas, Virginia
Children: 1 son

I was run over by a 757," Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell explains as he lifts his scarred arms and hands and points at his singed ears. "Whenever we drive past a KFC, we laugh that I'm the extra crispy kind."

He and his wife, Mel, are able to bring lightness to their situation now. But on September 11, 2001, Brian's life hung in that delicate balance between life and death.

At 9:37, Brian was walking toward his office when American Flight 77 smashed into the Pentagon, 20 yards from where he stood. Immediately, Brian was doused in flames and jet fuel.

"I knew I was going to die," says Brian. "The thought of never seeing Mel or my son, Matt, again was the worst feeling in the world."

Mel was watching the horrific scene on television as the flames shot from her husband's office. "We prayed he wasn't in there," she says. "But I feared the worst."

Miraculously, Brian was able to get to safety. But he was burned over 60 percent of his body (40 percent were third degree burns), and had to endure months of excruciating therapy and more than 30 surgeries.

When he arrived at Georgetown University Hospital, minutes from death, the physician told him they had to operate immediately.

"I knew this could be it," says Brian. "So I asked for a chaplain to pray with me. Then I gave my ring to a friend and told him, 'Give this to Mel. And tell her, I always loved her.'"

"The first time I saw him [after he was rescued], I didn't recognize him. He was incredibly swollen and ghastly white," says Mel. "I knew my Brian would never be the same."

Neither would their marriage.

"I instantly became a full-time caregiver," says Mel. "It wasn't a happy time—his pain was often unbearable, and he was like a baby—I had to do everything for him. Yet as frustrating as it got, we always realized that the worst could have happened.

"What most surprised us, though, was the number of people who'd say, 'Wow, I can't believe you stuck it out. I'm not sure I would have.' But we'd committed to each other. There were no other options."

"You can't cut and run when it gets tough," says Brian. "That's when you learn the most."

What they learned were blessings in disguise: "God gave me the opportunity to serve my husband," says Mel. Mel became Brian's advocate, communicator, primary caregiver. "Loyalty taught Mel servanthood—her part in our marriage during that time," says Brian. "But loyalty called me to humility and a deep appreciation for being served and what that cost Mel."

While life is mostly back to normal, the Birdwells have changed. "We've realized that loyalty and commitment come with a price you can't appreciate until they're challenged," says Mel. "But it's worth it. I can't imagine my life without Brian."

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