>> reporter: back home, lieutenant conte's sister received the terrifying news from another soldier >> hey, your brother was in a grenade explosion. it was 24 hours before i heard any more news. >> reporter: her brother was safe that's the moment she decided to be an army doctor. >> i felt i wanted to pay it forward. >> reporter: 10 years later, 22 service members from units nationwide gathered in little rock assigned to a civilian hospital overwhelmed by covid cases. at a team dinner, a surprising connection. >> he said, do you have an older brother? and i said yes did your older brother serv...