Modern Wisdom

They Cut His Head Open — A Survival Story from Iraq

Guest: Bob and Lee WoodruffMarch 18, 2026

traumatic brain injury (tbi)war veterans ied attack military healthcare family support aphasia post-traumatic growth caregiving brain surgery rehabilitation

They Cut His Head Open — A Survival Story from Iraq

Episode Summary

AI-generated · Apr 2026

AI-generated summary — may contain inaccuracies. Not a substitute for the full episode or professional advice.

Emmy-winning ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff and his wife, Lee Woodruff, share their harrowing journey after Bob sustained a near-fatal traumatic brain injury from an IED in Iraq, detailing the immediate aftermath, his miraculous recovery, and their subsequent advocacy for injured veterans. This episode offers an intimate look into the profound impact of such an event on an individual and their family, challenging listeners to reconsider resilience and the definition of a "miracle."

Bob recounts the day in Taji, Iraq, when his vehicle was hit by a massive IED, leaving him with severe injuries, including shrapnel to the brain and a rock that stopped "one millimeter short" of a fatal vein in his neck. Lee describes receiving the devastating call from ABC News President David Weston while at Disney World with their four children (ages 5, 5, 11, 13), her world stopping as she grappled with how to tell them. Emergency medical teams in Iraq performed a life-saving craniectomy, removing a 14 cm section of Bob's skull to relieve pressure from his rapidly swelling brain, a part critical for language.

Lee vividly describes seeing Bob in Germany, where his brain was visibly protruding "like almost another head" from his skull, and hundreds of rocks remained embedded in his face. Doctors prepared her for the likelihood of severe impairment, potentially rendering him unable to speak. Bob spent 36 days in a coma, during which Lee tried to engage him, even reading a letter from Bruce Springsteen. Remarkably, his first words upon waking were about Springsteen and needing a "nanares" (guitar), signaling a path to recovery.

The episode highlights the immense challenges of Bob's rehabilitation, particularly his struggle with aphasia. His children patiently helped him relearn basic words like "belt buckle," and he humorously coined neologisms such as "knob shooters" for nail clippers and "breast explosion" for breast augmentation. Despite these linguistic hurdles, his memory of loved ones remained, though the word "wife" initially eluded him, leading him to ask "where is my life?"

Ultimately, the Woodruffs convey a powerful message of renewed appreciation for life, acknowledging that even amidst such a miraculous recovery, "bad days" are still a normal part of the human experience. They emphasize the critical need for increased rehabilitation and long-term support for soldiers with traumatic brain injuries, revealing that modern warfare has a staggering "16 to 1" ratio of injured to deceased soldiers, a significant increase from past conflicts like Vietnam's "2.7 to 1," underscoring the urgent demand for ongoing care.

👤 Who Should Listen

Families of military personnel serving in combat zones.
Caregivers for individuals with traumatic brain injuries.
Anyone interested in stories of survival, resilience, and recovery from severe trauma.
Healthcare professionals involved in rehabilitation for brain injuries.
Advocates for veterans' rights and long-term support for injured soldiers.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1.Bob Woodruff sustained a near-fatal traumatic brain injury from an IED in Taji, Iraq, with a rock stopping "one millimeter short" of a critical vein, leading to a 36-day coma.
2.Lee Woodruff learned of Bob's injury, including shrapnel to the brain, via a phone call from ABC News President David Weston while she was at Disney World with their four children (ages 5, 5, 11, 13).
3.Iraqi medical teams performed an emergency craniectomy, removing a 14 cm section of Bob's skull due to brain swelling, a region critical for language.
4.Upon visiting Bob in Germany, Lee was confronted with his brain visibly protruding from his head, hundreds of rocks still embedded in his face, and doctors preparing her for severe, possibly non-verbal, impairment.
5.Bob's initial words after emerging from his coma were prompted by a letter from Bruce Springsteen, asking for "nanares" (guitars) rather than expressions of love to his wife.
6.During his recovery, Bob exhibited profound aphasia, struggling with common words and humorously coining terms like "knob shooters" for nail clippers and "breast explosion" for breast augmentation.
7.The Woodruffs highlight that modern warfare's "16 to 1" ratio of injured to deceased soldiers, significantly higher than Vietnam's "2.7 to 1," underscores a critical, unmet need for long-term rehabilitation and support for those with brain injuries.

💡 Key Concepts Explained

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Physical trauma to the brain, often from explosions. The episode details how Bob Woodruff sustained a severe TBI from an IED, leading to brain swelling, skull removal, and long-term cognitive and linguistic challenges.

Aphasia

A language disorder caused by damage to the brain, typically to the left hemisphere. Bob Woodruff experienced severe aphasia, losing the ability to speak many words, and needing his children to help him relearn basic vocabulary like "belt buckle."

Craniectomy

A surgical procedure to remove a section of the skull. This episode explains that doctors performed a craniectomy on Bob Woodruff's head, removing a 14 cm piece of his skull to alleviate pressure from his swelling brain.

⚡ Actionable Takeaways

→If a loved one experiences a severe brain injury, be prepared for potential dramatic physical and cognitive changes, including visible brain swelling and significant language impairment.
→For individuals in comas, engage their senses and intellect with personally meaningful stimuli, such as music or letters from admired figures, as this may aid in their return to consciousness.
→Recognize that recovery from severe TBI is a long, gradual process that involves relearning basic functions and may still present challenges with memory and word retrieval years later.
→Support and advocate for long-term rehabilitation resources for veterans with traumatic brain injuries, acknowledging the ongoing needs of these individuals and their families.
→Embrace the nuanced reality that while life can change "in an instant" and bring profound appreciation, it is still human and acceptable to experience "bad days" even after a miraculous recovery.

⏱ Timeline Breakdown

00:00Bob Woodruff describes the IED attack in Taji, Iraq, while embedded with military.

00:50Bob wakes up in the tank one minute after the explosion, spitting blood and with rocks in his neck.

01:01A rock stopped "one millimeter short" of a fatal vein in Bob's neck.

02:29Lee Woodruff receives a call at Disney World from ABC News President David Weston informing her of Bob's brain injury.

03:04Lee recounts telling her four children (ages 5, 5, 11, 13) about their father's injury, adapting the message for different age groups.

03:57Doctors in Baghdad cut out a 14 cm section of Bob's skull to address brain swelling.

04:29Lee describes seeing Bob in Germany with his brain visibly outside his head and hundreds of rocks still embedded in his face.

06:08Doctors in Germany predicted Bob would be severely impaired, possibly unable to speak, due to damage to critical brain regions.

07:35Lee recounts reading a letter from Bruce Springsteen to Bob while he was in a 36-day coma.

08:12Bob's first words after waking were about Bruce Springsteen and needing a "nanares" (guitar).

09:12Bob's first words to Lee after waking from his coma were, "Hey honey, where you been?"

10:12A clip shows Bob's children patiently helping him relearn words like "belt buckle."

11:14Bob shares his invented words like "knob shooters" for nail clippers and "breast explosion" for breast augmentation.

13:30Bob describes getting "funks" (goosebumps) when Lee kisses him.

15:35Bob and Lee discuss the critical need for more help and long-term rehabilitation for soldiers with brain injuries, citing a 16:1 injured-to-dead ratio.

Best of this topic

Best traumatic brain injury (tbi) episodes →Best war veterans episodes →Best ied attack episodes →Best military healthcare episodes →Best family support episodes →

💬 Notable Quotes

“"One rock went all the way to the vein on the other side and somehow stopped one millimeter short of it. And I did, you know, I would have died in 20 seconds."”
— Bob and Lee Woodruff