Army Private First Class Najee Hull may be healing from the gunshot wounds he suffered during the shootings at the US Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, but the massacre of soldiers and civilians is something he will never forget.
"Sometimes I slip into a zone where it keeps replaying over and over in my mind what's happening. And then the physical part is just my body just went through something traumatic. And I've never went through that before," said Pfc. Najee Hull, Fort Hood survivor.
The 21-year-old Homewood native came home for the holidays to recuperate from his injuries.
Hull says he was the first person wounded in the shooting spree.
"My instincts prevailed, and I did what I could to get out of the building and survive," said Hull.
Hull says his faith and the support of his family kept him going. But he still asks himself how a member of the U.S. military could turn on his comrades and open fire on a U.S. base.
Major Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder at Fort Hood.
"I really wasn't expecting to be shot by someone who was supposed to have my back in time of need," Hull said.
Hull says he often asks himself why he survived, and at times, he feels betrayed.
"Why me? Why me? Why would I be in this type of position, and then my aunt told me of course everything happens for a reason. You were spared because you have something to tell people," said Hull.
Hull and his older brother Nathaniel believe much has to be done to prevent this from ever happening again.
"I don't think it should be so easy to get onto a military facility, armed, and get into a building where they're not armed," said Nathaniel Hull, Najee's brother.
The 2007 Homewood-Flossmoor High School Graduate has undergone a number of surgeries. His spleen has been removed and fragments of bullets remain lodged in his chest and knee. He is scheduled to return to Fort Hood on Saturday.
"I serve my country. And that's what I do," said Hull.
Hull is a mechanic and is part of the 36th Engineer Brigade, which will deploy to Afghanistan this month without him. He still does not know what the future holds.
Hull has two years left in the Army and plans to attend college to become an electrical engineer.
