CNN is reporting that a true hero, Sergeant Merlin German, has passed away:

A Marine who survived being burned over more than 95 percent of his body in Iraq and established a charity to help burned children has died, the military has announced.

Sgt. Merlin German was 22.

He was severely wounded February 21, 2005, en route to Camp Ramadi when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb.

He was not expected to survive, but he was transported to Germany and then to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, which has the U.S. militarys top burns unit.

He spent nine months in intensive care and underwent more than 100 operations.

Sergeant German did not sit idly by and let his injury beat him down. Instead, he turned his injury into a mission, which he attacked with the same can-do attitude that served him well in the Marine Corps, and helped him fight his injuries for three years. His new mission: to establish a foundation to help burned children and their families.

Please consider making a donation to Merlin’s Miracles. According to the website:

The donations would be used to assist burned children and their families to take vacations, trips, outings or anything the families needed to make life a little easier. Merlin loved to travel and knew how difficult it was for him to endure long lines at amusement parks or the frustration of not being able to do certain things because of the heat or being able to go to certain places because of special transportation needed.   

Rest in peace, Sergeant German. Semper Fidelis.