▁June ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁journalist , ▁author ▁and ▁public ▁speaker ▁who ▁special izes ▁in ▁reporting ▁on ▁conflicts ▁and ▁the ▁developing ▁world . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁the ▁mem oir ▁Bl inds ided ▁by ▁the ▁Tal ib an , ▁a ▁dark - hum ored ▁ret elling ▁of ▁his ▁unusual ▁injury ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁while ▁embedded ▁with ▁American ▁troops ▁near ▁the ▁Pak ist ani ▁border . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Gent ile ▁was ▁shot ▁in ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁head ▁with ▁a ▁ro cket - prop elled ▁gr en ade ▁that ▁did ▁not ▁det on ate , ▁although ▁it ▁blind ed ▁him ▁in ▁his ▁right ▁eye ▁and ▁cr ushed ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁sk ull . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Gent ile ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁New ▁K ens ington , ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁attended ▁Sh ad ys ide ▁Academy . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Vill an ova ▁University ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁philosophy ▁and ▁Islam ic ▁studies . ▁ ▁Events ▁of ▁Bl inds ided ▁by ▁the ▁Tal ib an ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Gent ile ▁was ▁walking ▁through ▁a ▁remote ▁village ▁in ▁mountain ous , ▁eastern ▁Afghan istan ▁in ▁the ▁company ▁of ▁American ▁and ▁Afghan ▁troops . ▁While ▁reporting ▁for ▁CBS ▁- ▁Gent ile ▁was ▁a ▁fre el ance ▁radio ▁rep orter ▁who ▁also ▁occasionally ▁contributed ▁video ▁- ▁he ▁was ▁injured ▁when ▁an ▁ass ail ant ▁fired ▁a ▁ro cket - prop elled ▁gr en ade