‘American hero’ shot down over Afghanistan to be honored at Sunny Hill

JOLIET – Capt. Anthony Simone, who was shot down by the Taliban while on a rescue mission over Afghanistan, will be honored at Sunny Hill Nursing Home’s annual Veterans Day ceremony.

     The ceremony will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the county-owned nursing home, 421 Doris Ave.

     Simone, who is on active duty with the U.S. Air Force and living in Joliet, will join 22 Sunny Hill residents who have served their country at this year’s event.

     “We’re honored to have Capt. Simone at this ceremony,” said Will County Executive Larry Walsh. Sunny Hill is one of 22 departments under the County Executive’s office. “He is an American hero, credited with saving more than 100 lives during his service in Afghanistan.”

     Simone was the co-pilot of a Pave Hawk Search and Rescue Helicopter on a mission to save some members of allied forces when he was shot down on June 9, 2010. Simone was able to auto-rotate the helicopter, likely saving his life and that of one of the chopper’s two gunners, said Paul Boley, Simone’s father-in-law. The five others aboard died.

     Simone was burned and suffered a traumatic brain injury in which two nerves in the brain controlling the left side of his body were cut. He was in a coma for weeks. His recuperation has taken him from Germany to a burn unit in Texas, the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Fla., Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md., and then to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

     Currently, he is undergoing out-patient rehabilitation through a Rehabilitation Institute satellite office in Homewood.

     Capt. Simone and his wife, Andrea, a Joliet native, have a son, Will, 2. Andrea is the daughter of Paul and Paula Boley of Joliet. Capt. Simone’s parents, David and Jean Simone of Pennsylvania, will join their son at the ceremony.

     “The public is encouraged to join in this celebration and honor those who gave – and are still giving – to make this the great country that it is,” said Walsh.

      The 22 veterans who call Sunny Hill home served in World War II, Korea and Viet Nam.

     For additional information, call Activity Director Larry Lindholm at (815) 727-8711.