A Highland County soldier sustained life-threatening injuries while serving in Iraq, family members of the soldier told The Times-Gazette in Hillsboro Tuesday.

Army Staff Sgt. Ralph Franklin “Frankie” Steward Jr., 37, lost his right leg from the knee down, injured his left leg, shattered bones in both arms and suffered a bruised lung and damage to his right eye, according to his aunt, Carolyn Goins.

According to Fairbanks Daily News-Miner who cited an independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes, on Nov. 9, Steward and two other Army soldiers from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were on patrol in Mullayah, northeast of Baghdad, when they entered a home containing a concealed explosive device that detonated.

The three soldiers were initially transferred to Balad, Iraq, for treatment and were listed in stable condition on Nov. 10.

Goins said Steward then was transferred to Germany before returning to the U.S. on Nov. 11 for treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

She said Steward, a Hillsboro High School graduate, is now in good condition. He is surrounded by his wife Amy Steward, his parents Ralph and Jennifer Steward and his brother Michael Steward.

“He had a nine and a half hour surgery on Friday to remove muscle from his side and a bone from his rib to put in his left leg,” Goins said. “The surgery went well and they did another surgery (Monday) where they took skin from his thigh to cover where they put the bone in his left leg. He still has good pulse and blood flow in that leg.”

She said this was Steward’s third tour overseas.

“He has been in the service for 16 years and has seen his share of war,” Goins said.

Steward and his wife have four children, two boys and two girls, who remain at home in Alaska with Steward’s mother-in-law.

“His wife is doing good. She flew out to D.C. (immediately) and has been there ever since,” Goins said.

Steward has additional family across southern Ohio and as far as California, according to Goins.

“We have been proud of him from day one when he first went into the service,” she said.

A fund has been established for the family at Ferno Washington in Wilmington, where Steward’s father is employed. Goins said a Christmas fund for the kids also has been established at Ferno Washington.