Unconditional | Emily Zoladz

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A picture of Heather Lovell and her boyfriend Josh Hoffman hangs in their Middleville home on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 before Hoffman was shot in the neck while serving in Iraq. "I knew back then I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him," Lovell said, "he's still the same person that I fell in love with four and a half years ago." Despite an injury that left him requiring constant care, Lovell has decided to stay with Hoffman, who is now her fiance. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$A picture of Heather Lovell and her boyfriend Josh Hoffman hangs in their Middleville home on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 before Hoffman was shot in the neck while serving in Iraq. \$ $A picture of Heather Lovell and her boyfriend Josh Hoffman hangs in their Middleville home on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 before Hoffman was shot in the neck while serving in Iraq. \$

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Heather Lovell dabs the face of her fiance, Josh Hoffman, before getting ready for bed their Middleville home. "If your going to love a person unconditionally, your going to love a person unconditionally, bottom line," Lovell said, "and if you love them from the beginning you will love them always."(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Heather Lovell dabs the face of her fiance, Josh Hoffman, before getting ready for bed their Middleville home. \$ $Heather Lovell dabs the face of her fiance, Josh Hoffman, before getting ready for bed their Middleville home. \$

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Lovell, on right and LPN nurse Judy Zende help Hoffman into bed at the end of the day. "You look at the vows and what does it say? For better for worse, in sickness and health, 'till death do us part, and if I was willing to say those words then I'm going to stick by that."(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Lovell, on right and LPN nurse Judy Zende help Hoffman into bed at the end of the day. \$ $Lovell, on right and LPN nurse Judy Zende help Hoffman into bed at the end of the day. \$

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In-home LPN nurse Char Sanok, right, and close friend Rachel Crooks work together to lift Hoffman out of bed while getting ready for the day. Crooks is training to be a nurse herself. "Initially it took a lot of getting comfortable on both Josh's part and mine,' Crooks said, "because we were friends before the injury."(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$In-home LPN nurse Char Sanok, right, and close friend Rachel Crooks work together to lift Hoffman out of bed while getting ready for the day. Crooks is training to be a nurse herself. \$ $In-home LPN nurse Char Sanok, right, and close friend Rachel Crooks work together to lift Hoffman out of bed while getting ready for the day. Crooks is training to be a nurse herself. \$

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Magnets reading "Never give up," hang on the refrigerator in Hoffman and Lovell's Middleville home. "I knew back then I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him," Lovell said. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Magnets reading \$ $Magnets reading \$

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Hoffman receives comfort from his dog, Motley, as LPN nurse Char Sanok administers a four-step morning treatment for his lungs. Josh goes through the process six times a day as part of an ongoing battle against infection.(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

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Hoffman cringes as in-home nurse Char Sanok suctions fluid from his lungs, a process he must go through several times a day. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

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An on-going nurses' log for Hoffman's medications and treatments keeps track of the constant care he needs. Hoffman gets a four-step treatment for his lungs six times a day, as part of an ongoing battle against infection.(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$An on-going nurses\' log for Hoffman\'s medications and treatments keeps track of the constant care he needs. Hoffman gets a four-step treatment for his lungs six times a day, as part of an ongoing battle against infection.(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)$ $An on-going nurses\' log for Hoffman\'s medications and treatments keeps track of the constant care he needs. Hoffman gets a four-step treatment for his lungs six times a day, as part of an ongoing battle against infection.(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)$

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Lovell helps Hoffman into their van on the way to speech therapy. "I would love to see him even wiggle his toes," she said, "I have dreams of it." (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Lovell helps Hoffman into their van on the way to speech therapy. \$ $Lovell helps Hoffman into their van on the way to speech therapy. \$

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Lovell jokes with Hoffman in their van after traveling to Mary Free Bed Hospital for speech therapy. "Things are different, but we have a new norm," Lovell said, "he's a person, and I'm a person, and we're in love." (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Lovell jokes with Hoffman in their van after traveling to Mary Free Bed Hospital for speech therapy. \$ $Lovell jokes with Hoffman in their van after traveling to Mary Free Bed Hospital for speech therapy. \$

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A photograph of Hoffman and Lovell rests on a shelf in their Middleville home. "He's still the same person that I I fell in love with four and a half years ago," Lovell said. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$A photograph of Hoffman and Lovell rests on a shelf in their Middleville home. \$ $A photograph of Hoffman and Lovell rests on a shelf in their Middleville home. \$

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"Motley get of him!" shouts Rachel Crooks of Byron Center as Hoffman's new dog, Motley, gives him a morning kiss on the face. Crooks is a long-time friend of both Hoffman and Heather Lovell, his fiance. (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

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Hoffman laughs with SLP Beth Pearce after successfully swallowing applesauce in speech therapy at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Hoffman attends therapy twice a week, working to swallow and make speaking noises.(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

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Lovell gives Hoffman a kiss before getting ready for bed at the end of the day. "You choose to be with a person no matter what," Lovell said, "and I love him the way he is." (Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Lovell gives Hoffman a kiss before getting ready for bed at the end of the day. \$ $Lovell gives Hoffman a kiss before getting ready for bed at the end of the day. \$

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Hoffman and Lovell lie with their beds pushed together before going to sleep in their Middleville home. "We go with what we've got today," Lovell said, "what more can you really ask for in the situation? Nothing, there's always hope."(Emily Zoladz | The Grand Rapids Press)

$Hoffman and Lovell lie with their beds pushed together before going to sleep in their Middleville home. \$ $Hoffman and Lovell lie with their beds pushed together before going to sleep in their Middleville home. \$