Seeing it Through Episode 222 • So There I Was . . .

Fig Eye Injury Update: The Latest

This week brings a much-needed Fig eye injury update. Last week, Fig was in a serious car accident. RePete doesn’t dive into the details of the crash itself here. Instead, he shares an honest, hopeful picture of where things stand today.

Fig lost the lens in his left eye and most of his iris. His eye is currently filled with blood, which must drain before doctors know his full vision outcome. His retina, however, remains attached — a critical and encouraging sign.

The best news: Fig does not need a prosthetic eye. He’ll need a prosthetic lens instead, and no major surgery is required. Doctors believe his vision may eventually be restored.

A Story of Resilience: One-Eye and YL-37

RePete also revisits Episode 64 with One-Eye, a story of resilience after devastating injury in an H-34 over Vietnam. He’s careful to note this isn’t a comparison — just a reminder of what it looks like to push through the unimaginable.

That same H-34 story connects directly to YL-37, The Flying Memorial, a restored UH-34D helicopter that flew combat missions with Marine squadron HMM-362, the “Ugly Angels,” from 1965–1968. She’s flown today as a hands-on tribute to Vietnam veterans, carrying a bronze plaque bearing the names of thirty-three Ugly Angels who never made it home. The pilot keeping her in the air is the son of one of One-Eye’s own squadron mates — a living link between that story and this one. Their website is worth a visit for anyone moved by the episode.

Keep Fig and his family in your thoughts as recovery continues.