A U.S. Marine who was aboard a landing craft that sank off the Southern California coast Thursday has local ties.
Dallas Truxal, 22, from Fountain County remains hospitalized in stable condition and called his mother Saturday to say his breathing tube had been removed.
“He is doing a lot better,” Christina Truxal said in a text message from California.
The amphibious assault vehicle was carrying 15 Marines and a Navy sailor when it began taking on water about 70 miles offshore from San Diego. The troops were returning from a training exercise.
Eight service members were rescued. One Marine later died and another is still in the hospital. The other soldiers who were rescued have returned to their ship.
The search for the remaining servicemembers was halted Sunday, and they were presumed dead. Truxal’s family planned to tell him the news sometime Sunday.
All of the service members were based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California.
“My heart goes out to the other families and my son doesn’t know how the others are,” Christina Truxal said Saturday.
Crews pulled Truxal from the water Thursday evening. He was initially unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital and placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. He was moved out of the ICU Saturday evening.
Truxal is a 2016 graduate of Fountain Central High School, where he was a member of the swim team. He joined the Marines in January 2018.
“He’s an extremely strong swimmer and that’s why he was chosen for this position with the Marines,” said aunt Catrina Tomamichel, who spoke with him along with other family members Saturday afternoon.
She posted a photo to Facebook showing him giving a thumbs up sign from his hospital bed. “He literally said he was ready to back to work today.”
A GoFundMe page she launched to help with the Truxal’s travel expenses quickly reached its goal. After it was taken down, Marines from across the country reached out saying they still wanted to donate and the page was relaunched. More than $10,700 has been raised.
To donate, go to www.gofundme.com and search for Dallas Truxal.
