Former guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier faces fight of his life

In the military that

guard

s the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, these elite volunteers are carefully selected and rigorously trained and tonight we have the story of one sentry's courage from our special assignment unit reporter Andrea McCarron and photojournalist Chris Mullen. Sentinel Andy Selga's service ended abruptly. When he was diagnosed with a rare disease that has no cure, the military doctors told him of the 17 people in the world with his precise diagnosis, he is the only one still alive. He is emotional, uh, and he was always emotional. Sentinel Andy Selo was living his dream. 21 steps at one point cheered me up and said, "Okay, today I can go protect the

unknown

soldier

s for a full 26-hour period." Bigger than anything I've ever done in my

life

, the number 21 is a symbolic nod to the 21st gun salute, our nation's highest honor.

For me, the only time I felt true honor and respect was like in the night. , when it's like there is no one in the United States. America is sleeping, but you know there is a crack in the night to protect the

unknown

soldier

s when there is no one else around and America is trusting you to be there as grave

guard

s. On March 21, step off the mat, turn and look east for 21 seconds, turn again and look north for 21 seconds, then take 21 more steps down before repeating the process. I think about it, you know, 24/7, it's disturbing that Selga was 21 when the doctors at Walter Reed brought him in as an emergency. surgery, they raced to find answers to his relentless abdominal pain that suddenly appeared as he walked on the mat, almost as if someone had taken a knife and stuck it in my stomach.

His diagnosis was devastating after surgery. I wake up and they. You're telling me I have eosinophilic vasculitis. The condition is so rare that only two in every million people in the world are diagnosed with it each year. The disease causes inflammation of the blood vessels. There's no cure. I feel at the end of the day like why do I like what did I do you know they asked me all the questions well we'll do is it any of these things in your family not anywhere in your family no this rare form of vasculitis is often fatal you know I received a crash course in adulthood marrying and caring at the same time at the age of 17 Salo found strength in his wife Emily High school sweethearts The newlyweds got married when Emily was just 17 years old he I was 20, marriage is until death, like you're my, he's my best friend.

I'll be here until the end. We finished the illness part. Illness and health. I really hope health comes soon. Despite the constant pain, it is impossible to find a photograph of Selga where he is standing and smiling. We're doing the best we can, the couple was even kicked out of an emergency room once for laughing uncontrollably. I love my husband. A little, yes. I am going to live each day to the fullest. You know, I appreciate every second I spend with him. With Emily's strong support, he went from a wheelchair to a cane and now he can walk on his own again.

I still wake up feeling like someone hit me in the side with a bat, but he is responding well to the treatment they expect him to live with. Zelga is

fight

ing this disease with the same discipline and energy that she mustered to protect the grave 21 steps at a time Andy Sela will never walk the carpet again. He was forced to leave the military due to his illness, but recently began an internship at NASA Goddard. space flight center Andrea McCaron wusa9 is an amazing young man