0 4 ▁– ▁the ▁tw elf th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁his ▁ord ination ▁to ▁the ▁priest hood ▁– ▁while ▁returning ▁from ▁saying ▁Mass ▁for ▁soldiers ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁in ▁Ira q ▁when ▁his ▁Hum vee ▁struck ▁a ▁road side ▁bomb ▁( I ED ). ▁He ▁sust ained ▁a ▁severe ▁brain ▁injury . ▁He ▁was ▁treated ▁at ▁an ▁Army ▁field ▁hospital ▁in ▁Bag hd ad ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁Land st u hl ▁Regional ▁Medical ▁Center ▁in ▁Germany . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁transport ed ▁to ▁Walter ▁Re ed ▁Army ▁Medical ▁Center , ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁ ▁Post - in j ury ▁V ak oc ▁received ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁Heart ▁in ▁his ▁room ▁at ▁Walter ▁Re ed ▁Army ▁Medical ▁Center ▁during ▁a ▁private ▁ceremony ▁limited ▁to ▁immediate ▁family ▁members , ▁Army ▁personnel , ▁and ▁then – U . S . ▁Senator ▁Norm ▁Cole man , ▁who ▁presented ▁the ▁medal . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁serious ness ▁of ▁V ak oc ' s ▁inj uries ▁and ▁his ▁un stable ▁condition , ▁Cole man ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁exped ite ▁the ▁grant ing ▁of ▁the ▁award . ▁ ▁After ▁several ▁months , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Min ne apolis ▁V A ▁Medical ▁Center , ▁where ▁he ▁lay ▁in ▁a ▁com a ▁for ▁six ▁months . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁spring ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁began ▁to ▁show ▁signs ▁of ▁improvement . ▁With ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁the ▁Y ellow ▁Rib