A hero who walked among us was grievously wounded in Afghanistan in September and is receiving daily care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

He and his family need and deserve our prayers.

Let us, then, pray for him and them all. Prayer works. Many of you know that. Let's do this.

Gerivisio Anthony Verra was a popular salesperson in the Farmville community for nearly a decade. He had already served bravely with the Marines before coming to work in Farmville. Mr. Verra re-enlisted last year, this time in the Army. He shipped out six months ago, leaving his wife, Shauna, their seven-day old daughter and a young son behind to wait while Specialist E4 Verra went halfway around the world to protect us from terrorism.

The 30-year old Anthony, as he is known to his friends in this community, was recently awarded the Purple Heart and is due to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant in April, a friend of the family told us this week. The Purple Heart he earned deserves our own heartfelt prayers in return.

Mr. Verra, by his own bravery and selfless commitment to this nation-to all of us-has already earned a rank far in advance of anything any branch of the military could offer.

We thank you and honor you, Mr. Verra, and please know that you are in the hearts of those living and working in the Heart of Virginia. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

On Facebook I saw a photo of Mr. Verra holding his baby girl in his arms, his son leaning over the bed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to be certain of being in the picture with his father and little sister. Let us surround this man and his family with our prayers. Put them on your church's prayer lists and into your own words of prayer. Let us never surrender them from our prayers.

-JKW-

(Cards and letters may be sent to: Anthony Verra, C/O Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Ward 57, 6900 Georgia Avenue NW, Building 2, Washington, D.C. 20307)