Johnny “Joey” Jones, now a prominent Fox News contributor, first came into the public eye following a life-changing tragedy during his service as a U.S. Marine in Afghanistan. In 2010, Jones lost both legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED)—a moment that was heartbreakingly caught on camera by CBS News.

Just months before the explosion, Jones had spoken with ABC’s Nightline, sharing haunting insights about his dangerous mission: training Marines to detect IEDs. “A good day is us being bored and training Marines how to find IEDs. A bad day is coming out here and doing our job, and something going wrong,” he said.

That “bad day” came in August 2010 when the IED detonated beneath him. Jones and fellow Marine Corporal Daniel Greer were airlifted from the battlefield. Jones survived, but Greer later succumbed to his injuries—a loss that continues to weigh heavily on Jones.

Speaking from his hospital bed at Bethesda Naval Hospital, Jones offered a powerful perspective: “I didn’t lose my legs. I was given a second chance at life.”

While Jones has spoken openly about the physical pain of recovery—including the excruciating phantom pains—he has emphasized that the emotional toll was far greater. In particular, he has carried deep grief and survivor’s guilt over Greer’s death. “I think about him every day,” Jones once told Nightline. “There’s no amount of emotion that could ever take that away.”

Over the years, Jones has used his platform to remember Greer, especially on his “Alive Day”—the anniversary of the explosion that changed everything. In Fox News’ 2022 coverage of the occasion, Jones redirected the attention to honor his fallen friend. “When I stepped on an IED, it took my legs—it took his life,” he said. “Daniel died protecting me that day, and I have to believe I’m sitting here learning how to talk for a living because he’s still doing it.”

In 2024, Jones again honored Greer on Alive Day with a somber post on X (formerly Twitter): “Today is a day of reflection and some sadness but not a celebration.”

The pain of loss didn’t stop there. In December 2019, Jones lost another beloved figure in his life—his father. In an emotional Instagram post, he asked followers for prayers as his father’s condition declined. Later that day, he shared the heartbreaking news of his father’s passing. Months later, Jones revealed the devastating detail that he had performed CPR on his father before paramedics arrived, only to make the agonizing decision to withdraw life support the next day.

Despite the grief, Jones has continued to share fond memories of his father on social media. On Father’s Day 2021, he posted a tribute reading, “I need you more now than ever.” On what would’ve been his dad’s birthday in 2022, Jones posted a bittersweet message: “The only thing he held tighter than a brick trowel (or a beer/cigarette) was the ones he loved.”

Through immense loss and adversity, Joey Jones has become a resilient voice—not just on politics or policy, but on patriotism, sacrifice, and remembrance. He continues to use his platform to honor those who shaped and protected him, keeping their memories alive in both quiet and powerful ways.