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W.V. Soldier Meets Pope
Posted Thursday, April 24, 2008 ; 10:44 PM
Updated Thursday, April 24, 2008 ; 11:43 PM

U.S. Army Sgt. Ronald Frye met the Pope in Washington, D.C.
Story by J. Turchetta, WBOY-TV Online

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The Pope's visit to the U-S made headlines last week.

Thousands of people crowded into venues just to see and hear him. Some, like a soldier from Buckhannon, actually got to meet him.

Sergeant Frye went to hear the Pope speak at Nationals Park in Washington D-C. Frye was injured a few years ago, and is undergoing rehab at Walter Reed Army Medical Center .

He says what started out as a present for his mother to hear the Pope speak, became a rare chance for the Pontiff and him to meet face to face.

Frye is confined to a wheelchair, the result of an I-E-D attack in

Iraq

. He says someone with the Secret Service spotted him as he made his way into the stadium.

Frye says the agent put him and his mother just 10 feet from where the Pope would be delivering his mass.

Being just feet away for the Pope would have served as a wonderful experience on its own. For Frye, it got even better after the mass.

The Pope spotted Frye and walked over to him and blessed him. Frye also received a rosary with the Papal crest on it from one of the Cardinals.

Sgt. Frye says the crowd began to get unruly and began to grab him and that some C-N-N photographers helped him get through the crowd.

A week later the shock of meeting the Pontiff still hasn't worn off. Sgt. Frye says it is one of the best experiences of his life.

Frye says he has been flooded with requests from the national media to talk about his experience. The Buckhannon native says he only wanted to share his experience with the folks here in North Central West Virginia.