Community helps support wounded Marine

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - Hundreds of friends in Hampshire County came together Wednesday night to help a local Marine wounded in Afghanistan.

Marine Sergeant Joshua Bouchard lost his leg and suffered other serious injuries when a bomb exploded in Afghanistan last month.

Friends organized the fundraiser without telling the family. They sold hundreds of tickets for a pasta banquet and raffle at Amherst Regional High School, which Josh graduated from in 2002.

All of the money raised will help Joshua off-set expenses for his family to visit with him while he recovers at a VA hospital in Richmond, Virginia now and during the holidays.

His sister, Susanna Bouchard, says he's staying positive. "He's so eager to just be in physical training and just kind of get this whole process done with, and he's staying immensely positive through out all of it."

Friends and family signed a poster at the banquet that will be delivered to Joshua.

Marine Sergeant Bouchard enlisted in the Marines in 2004, served two tours in Iraq before his deployment to Afghanistan and recently re-enlisted.

He is in the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.