Prineville soldier reunited with life-saving helmet

Sgt. Ryan Craig was shot in the head in Afghanistan back in 2010. His helmet slowed down the bullet just enough for him to survive the attack.

On Thursday, he was reunited with his helmet at a ceremony in Prineville.

“It saved my life,” Craig said, holding his helmet in his hands for the first time in four years. “As you can see, it stopped the bullet.”

He doesn’t remember much of the day that almost took his life.

“I was on a rooftop — and then I woke up in Maryland,” Craig said.

Craig’s unit was patrolling one of the most volatile regions in Afghanistan when it was attacked by the Taliban. Cmd. Sgt. Major Doug Maddi was Craig’s commanding officer that day when he heard about the attack.

“‘Gunshot wound to the head, life expectancy unknown.’ You begin planning for the worst,” Maddi recalled.

With life-threatening injuries, Craig was rushed to a hospital.

“It was 5:30 in the morning, and you get a call that your son’s been injured,” Jennifer Miller, Craig’s mother, recounted Thursday. “As a mother, you already kind of feel that something is wrong.”

Craig underwent numerous brain surgeries. Thanks to his helmet and his brothers in the field, he is still alive.

“I’m grateful that he’s still here,” Miller said.

“It’s a great honor and for me to be here today, with my guy,” Maddi said. “It’s the greatest thing that I’ve done in the Army today.”

Craig’s helmet was not designed to stop bullets. But it’s a piece of equipment that means so much more.

“Head protection continues to be evolved,” said Barry Hauck, deputy product manager at Soldier Protection Equipment.

After the attack, Craig’s helmet was sent to the government for analysis. The results help officials to improve gear in the future.

“Today, every soldier that deploys into combat has a helmet that is rated to stop rifle rounds. Part of that is due to Ryan,” Maddi said.

After the helmet saved Craig’s life, it is now helping save many others.