Ask any veteran and they’ll tell you the tremendous toll that serving can take. For those who come back physically unscathed, there are still deep-seated emotional scars that can affect them for the rest of their lives. And then there are those who are not so fortunate, who bear the physical wounds of their service.

Simon Brown was shot in the face by a sniper in Iraq whilst rescuing six people.

The REME soldier was blinded in one eye and left with just 20% vision in the other.

In his own words, "Day to day, I don't worry about them. I wear the scars, they don't wear me."#veteran pic.twitter.com/h1oXtvUamZ

— Blesma (@Blesma) March 4, 2023

Simon Brown, a corporal in the British military, experienced this firsthand during his third tour of Iraq in 2006. While leading a mission to rescue stranded colleagues, he was shot in the face by a sniper. Miraculously, he survived the attack, but his injuries were life-changing.

Left permanently disfigured, Simon had to not only deal with the loss of his left eye and 20% vision in his right, but also the loss of the cartilage in his nose, which drastically altered his appearance. His world was turned upside down, and though he tried to stay positive, it was a challenging time for him.

Instead of letting his experience defeat him, Simon decided to use his story for good. He began educating others and giving motivational talks, not only to inform people about the realities of war but also to help other veterans who may be struggling with their own traumas.

This is Simon Brown. Simon was a corporal in the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers in Iraq. On a rescue mission, where he helped rescue six wounded soldiers, he was tragically hit by sniper fire. This bullet destroyed much of his face. @BlindVeterans helped him recover ❤ pic.twitter.com/f1rSNZ3RqF

— BulldogUK Network (@BulldogUK2) May 15, 2019

During his journey, Simon had the opportunity to meet Temperance Pattison, a young girl who was fascinated by war heroes and their stories. As part of Help for Heroes’ campaign called “Facing It Together,” they sat down together for a special conversation. Simon couldn’t help but wonder how Temperance would react to his scars.

The meeting between Simon and Temperance turned out to be an incredibly touching moment. It was captured on video and quickly gained attention worldwide. You can watch the video below to see their heartfelt encounter for yourself:

I have to admit, that video brought tears to my eyes. It truly is incredible to witness such a genuine connection between two individuals from different generations.

If you were moved by their meeting as well, please share this heartwarming story with others. Let’s spread the message of empathy, strength, and the power of human connection.