About Me

As the middle child of a not-so-wealthy family, I always felt like I didn't quite fit in at school. Being shy, I struggled to keep up with my studies and never imagined that I would one day join the US Army. But in 1988, at the age of 18, I took a leap of faith and joined up. I was sent to Ft. Leonard Wood for basic and advanced individual training as a 63B wheeled vehicle mechanic.

 

After completing my training, I was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, and was soon on the brink of being deployed to Panama. However, the 4th ID was called off at the last minute. I spent three years at Fort Carson, half of which was down range in the field. During my first field deployment, I was put in charge of maintaining generators that were used to power signal equipment. I had never seen one before, but as a mechanic, I knew how to make them run. Excelling in the Army gave me a huge confidence boost, and from then on, I knew I could do anything!

 

I was sent to Korea in 1991 and spent a year at Camp Colburn with the 1st Signal BDE. Korea was its own version of the Army, and someone once told me that anyone who had ever deployed there would never be the same. I think that meant we were all a little bit crazy. In 1992, I was honorably discharged and returned home to Fargo, North Dakota, where I worked odd jobs in construction, primarily in masonry and framing. I spent a year or so traveling the US building hotels. It wasn't until I met my wife that I went back into the military, joining the National Guard full-time as an AGR.

 

Going back into the military was scary because my wife and I were starting a family, and the last thing we wanted was for me to get deployed. In 2005, the MN National Guard was called up for deployment to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for a one-year tour in Iraq. However, the 34th ID was extended, and I ended up spending 22 months deployed. The longest continuous deployment of any military unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom. We came home to a hero’s welcome. People were lined up in the streets cheering, firetrucks were waving the US flag high on the big trucks. I was so happy to be home. When I retired in 2016, I started working at Concorde General Agency, an independent insurance agency in Fargo. I started as the IT manager and shortly after took over Operations as well. I’m always looking for more never satisfied it seems.

After deployment I started quietly suffering from PTSD, it took my wife leaving me to figure out I needed help. I was angry all the time and took it out on the people I loved most. This is something I’m not proud to be writing about. I went through counseling, and lots of drugs and alcohol to figure out the right dosage to keep my anger under control. I fought to keep my family together and I can say or at least I feel like I’m better and in a gooder spot with most of my relationships. I’ve very proud of how my daughter and my relationship has grown.

 

In 2018 I started a side hustle in Bradley Hurajt Photography. I had picked up a camera and started taking pictures. I was getting so many fans and people asking to do pictures for them. I decided to start and LLC and create a part-time business. I’ve done everything from weddings, senior pictures, headshots, family pictures, and Commercial shoots. It’s a challenging adventure, having little knowledge of marketing, and the time needed to really make it take off. My favorite part is meeting new people and seeing their eyes light up when they see what I’ve captured. One of the most rewarding parts of the business. Who knew I had this much talent, ha-ha seriously I have a true passion for photography. I would say my camera fits like a glove. But in 2020, everything changed. I contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized for 58 days, spending much of that time in intensive care. The University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic wouldn't take me because I had been on a ventilator for too long, and my chances of survival were slim. To make matters worse, my brother passed away on his birthday, and I was unable to attend his funeral because I was fighting for my own life. Eventually, the Essential Hospital in Fargo agreed to take me and give one final effort to save my life. I underwent a tracheotomy and a blood transfusion, and my wife was told to gather her prayer group together.

 

Miraculously, the next day, I woke up and began my recovery. It was a long road ahead, as I had to re-learn how to walk, swallow, and speak, but I was determined to get better. Thankfully, despite the odds, I was able to recover and start my long journey of rehabilitation and recovery. My story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of hope and perseverance in the face of challenging circumstances. You see I wanted something that would really help people understand me. I'm very vulnerable in this so it's hard to share with anyone.