An Army soldier who grew up in the Vancouver, Washington area is in critical condition Wednesday after being injured in Baghdad.

Caring Bridge

Jeremiah Johnson with his wife Gayle and their two children.

Jeremiah Johnson is part of the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parchute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Johnson, 23, suffered traumatic brain injuries after the humvee in which he was riding rolled into a canal, trapping Johnson inside and under water for as long as ten minutes, according to Senior Paster Lee Erickson of the Salmon Creek Four Square Church.

Erickson is close friends with with the Johnson family and speaks with Jeremiah’s father, Dave, every other day.

Dave and Elizabeth Johnson live in the Vancouver area but flew to Germany to be with their son as soon as the crash happened.

Erickson says the parents are uncertain what happened but are hearing rumors an axle on the humvee broke.

Jeremiah is married to Gayle Johnson, and the couple have two children, ages 2 and 4. They met at the Salmon Creek Four Square Church.

Youth Pastor Luke Hanes married the two and couldn’t believe word that Jeremiah was clinging to life.

“I just bawled. Its hard, really hard,“ he said.

Hanes said the young soldier is a strong Christian who led bible studies in Iraq with fellow soldiers.

"We’re believing for a miracle, for God to heal him," said Hanes. "But God’s gonna do what God’s gonna do. His will be done," he said.

"So if God decides to take Jeremiah, that’s what he decides and he knows best," said Hanes.

Occassional updates and prayer messages are being left at Caring Bridge.