KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxvillian David Wood was a part of one of the first waves of U.S. soldiers to enter Afghanistan following the events of 9/11. Wood served in the Marines from 1999-2005, attaining infantry sergeant in his first two years. He was deployed four times.
He's now facing a new battle as he tries to recover from cardiac arrest following surgery to treat an esophagus issue. For 24 hours, strangers and friends alike have flocked to David Wood's GoFundMe campaign. So far, organizers have raised around $30,000.
One donation message read, "I know David would do the same for me."
A lot of the outpouring of support comes from people that David touched throughout his career.
"People have come together and leveraged their platforms on social media, to help out a good human being who has helped out thousands across the world," said Maury Abreu, a friend of David's who also became a business partner with him.
Along with being a veteran from the Marines, David is known for his social media presence, where he inspires many through his work ethic. David has also centered his life around his faith.
"One of the countless unique experiences about David is he risked his life by getting Bibles to underground churches in China. David loving humans and loving people and risking and giving for people is who he is. He's always given more than he's taken," said Abreu.
This new battle started when he went in for a scheduled surgery in December. During his post-surgery recovery, David's heart stopped beating for 20 minutes. For the next couple of weeks, he was fighting for his life.
It's a long road, but he has shown progress after additional surgeries and rehabilitation efforts. His determination isn't wavering.