Letter Carrier Recovers from Gunshot

The postal worker shot twice while on his mail route last month, spoke to the media Friday before heading home from rehab.

By Theresa Petry,

May 9, 2008, 3:13 PM CDT

A St. Louis City postal carrier is finally back home after spending almost a month in the hospital recovering from gun shot wounds. Terry Marcrum says he's not angry at the shooter, just thankful to be alive.

Letter Carrier Recovers from Gunshot

He has a long road to recovery still ahead but his optimistic attitude is inspiring others.

WATCH Shot Mailman Talk About Ordeal

"I want to go home," declared Terry Marcrum. Friday he got his wish but many are sad to see him go.

"Great attitude we don't want to let him go," smiled Dr. Lizette Alvarez.

"I thank God I'm alive everyday and I want to share it with everybody," Terry said smiling.

April 14th, while delivering mail on his routine route in south St. Louis, Terry was shot in the head and left shoulder. "I'm not angry in any way, in any way," he commented.

Police charged 23-year-old Adrian Mabry. He is the grandson of a woman on Marcrum's route.

"It's a miracle he's alive! The phone call I got was he was shot in the head and they didn't know what condition he was in. It's the most traumatic phone call you can get and to see him here today is a miracle," exclaimed his brother, Jerry Marcrum Sr.

His speech is slow and his balance is off. The bullet remains lodged in his head, too dangerous to remove. "It's hard to tell at this point in the game what kind of permanent damage he will have," stated Dr. Alvarez.

Through it all he's kept his sense of humor helping other patients overcome speech difficulties and getting them to open up. "I said do I stink or something and every since then I couldn't get her to shut up," Terry laughed recalling how he encouraged a woman to talk.

"Terry's discharge from the hospital couldn't have come at a better time. His younger brother Tony is getting married Saturday and he's the best man! He'll walk down the aisle, just like he walked out of the hospital.

"I'm confident to stabilize with the cane if I lose my balance but I know if I try to walk by myself I take the chance of falling," he said.

But it seems nothing can keep him or his spirits down.

Terry says he loves his job and wants to return but isn't sure if physically he'll be able to. Doctors say he has anywhere from a few months up to a year of both physical and emotional therapy.