In June 2008, Marine Corporal Anthony Villarreal was driving back from a mission in Afghanistan when his truck hit a roadside bomb.

Anthony suffered third-degree burns over most of his body. His right arm and the fingers on his left hand had to be amputated.

Anthony was 22 at the time, and newly married to Jessica, who was just 21.

When the couple sat down for StoryCorps, Anthony remembered the moments just after the explosion.

Note: Since this interview, Anthony and Jessica have brought a son into the world: Anthony Junior. They live in Lubbock, TX, where they did their original StoryCorps interview. Jessica is in school, working to become an art therapist for wounded veterans. Anthony is mostly a stay-at-home dad, though he does speaking engagements with the Wounded Warrior Project from time to time.

Originally aired November 9, 2013, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.