A Rockingham soldier who was injured by gunfire a week ago at Fort Hood, Texas, has been credited with helping save other lives.

Staff Sgt. Alonzo “Big Mac” Lunsford was shot four times. The alleged shooter was Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

“He’s doing much better and he’d hoped that they’d let him come home today,” said his mother, Johnsey Lunsford in a phone interview Wednesday. “But last night they had a few more things come up. Now they think it will be Thursday.”

One of the four bullets hit Lunsford in the face just above one of his eyes, according to Mayor Gene McLaurin, who visited with him.

“The plastic surgeon has come in and taken a look, but they’re still waiting on the swelling to go down,” said Lunsford’s mother. “They are going to have to do some reconstruction to the cheekbone, but if the bullet had been 1/2 inch higher up, the doctor said it would have instantly killed him.”

His mother, the city clerk for the City of Rockingham, flew out over the weekend to be with her son and Tuesday was able to attend a memorial service with President Barrack Obama.

“That was wonderful,” she said. “I got to shake the hand of President and Mrs. Obama.”

Alonzo’s two wounds to the stomach are healing as well as a gunshot wound to the back.

Even after he’s released from the hospital it is likely that Alonzo will require a nurse at home until he heals, his mother said.

To help keep him company, a childhood friend who lives in Charlotte plans to fly out west and spent time.

“They have been friends since he was three years ago,” Mrs. Lunsford said of Michael Mason.

Some of the people Mrs. Lunsford met over the past few days credit her son for saving one of their loved ones.

One said Lunsford suffered the wounds in his stomach while he was trying to pull another person to safety.

“The commanding officer stated that because of him (Mac) several lives were saved,” Mrs. Lunsford said. “Another woman said Mac took two bullets that helped save their daughter’s life.

“Mac said he’s no hero, that he just did what he had to do.”

Another shooting victim was from Stanley County. Mrs. Lunsford said they went to visit them.

“I let them know that people in Richmond County were praying for them,” Mrs. Lunsford said.

Anybody who wishes to send a card, can do so by sending it to Johnsey Lunsford, C/O Rockingham City Hall, 514 Rockingham Road, Rockingham, NC, 28379.