USA TODAY freelancer describes hit from RPG in Afghanistan

Carmen Gentile, 36, was in a small village in eastern Afghanistan with U.S. forces last September, on the last day of the observance of Ramadan, when he saw a man walk out of a building with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Gentile, a freelance journalist for USA TODAY, says the device, which did not detonate, hit him in the face near his right eye. At first, he worried that he'd lost his eye. Even though others on the scene assured him he had not, he thought they were only telling him this to keep him calm.

Gentile says it was just pure coincidence that the RPG did not detonate, and he says this happens very rarely. He says it still astounds him that he is around to tell his story.

Now, several months later and post-surgery, Gentile is able to see again and his vision is 20-30 which, he says, is not bad.