CANTON, New York (WWNY) - It was August 23rd, 1969, during an ambush when Canton native and Vietnam veteran Tom Coakley’s life changed forever.

A telegram recites his injuries back to him over 55 years later. It reads, “He received wounds to both arms, the groin area, to both legs, with the result of a surgical amputation of his left leg below the knee.”

But it was that very same life-altering injury that led him to the love of his life, Nellie, an army combat nurse who served in Vietnam too.

After finishing her tour overseas, she continued to work at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Of her many patients, Tom was one of them.

“When you’re one of 50-60 patients with the nurse,” said Tom, “we become casual friends.”

“Tom would stop me as I’m zooming by and ask me

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