rib cage

It’s not the classic version most parents sing while slowly swaying and clapping — Pearce’s rendition rages with enough bass to rattle rib cages.

"I lost a quarter of my back and my rib cage, leaving my lung outside of my body for over three years," he said.

The 44-year-old, who worked as a farmer before the war, said he had suffered temporary back and ear damage as a result, and his rib cage had been fractured.

Despite being softened by time, the light lift of the breast, flare of the rib cage, and divot of the collarbone are unmistakable — their lines are pulled into focus by tensed muscles.

And as his absence dragged on, the medical staff turned its attention to his rib cage, realizing that might be causing the delays in his recovery.