LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - This week’s Hometown hero is a Purple Heart recipient who, these days, is on a special assignment serving Calcasieu Parish.

Prior to his current role as a Lance Corporal of the U.S. Marine Corps, Joshua Donovan was in Afghanistan when his life changed forever.

“On May 28th, 2011, a vehicle patrol just outside of Marjah, Afghanistan, our vehicle was the lead vehicle and encountered an improvised explosive device, (it) was blown up. I was knocked unconscious and then airlifted to the the main hospital on the main base. Spent a couple of weeks there, and then I went back to my patrol base.”

Instead of retirement, Donovan quickly traded in one uniform for another.

“Working at the Sheriff’s Office and serving my community is something that I wanted to do. I had do

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