A member of the Ohio National Guard wounded in the current military situation in Iraq had a dream come true Wednesday at Browns training camp when he was able to meet receiver Braylon Edwards.
On Aug. 20, 2004, Specialist Terry Dean of the 216th Engineer Battalion in Chillicothe, Ohio lost his right leg when a roadside bomb exploded near Sumarra on Alternate Supply Route Grape, one of the most dangerous roads in Iraq.
The explosion also claimed the lives of two of Dean’s fellow servicemen.
But Dean said he’s doing well. Fitted with a prosthetic leg, he said he can participate in most activities.
"I’m doing good. I still play sports and do everything. I can still run. I’m just fat and out of shape,” he joked.
His prosthetic is complete with a Maize and Blue Michigan knee cover, which Edwards signed for Dean Wednesday.
The pair, along with several other members of the 216th Engineer Battalion, chatted about the upcoming college football season – mostly about the prospects of Ohio State and what many Ohioans refer to as "the team up north”.
Much to his dismay, most of Dean’s cohorts from his battalion are Ohio State fans.
Dean grew up in Hillsboro, Ohio, a small town of 6,368 people in Southwestern Ohio, and picked up his love for Michigan early in life.
"When I was probably 6, (Michigan) was the first team I ever saw play and it stuck with me ever since,” he said.
He called Edwards one of his all-time favorite Wolverines.
Dean said, along with being a Michigan fan, he’s roots for the Browns as well.
"I’m a Browns fan and a Cleveland fan, but more Michigan,” he said.