Joshua S.\’ Story

I joined the Army in 2005, choosing to become a part of the Infantry. I always had the desire to be a part of the military and serve my country. Upon graduating basic training, I completed Airborne school and then was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. On a deployment to Iraq, I was injured during a firefight when an I.E.D. was triggered next to me. I was evacuated to Germany and then to Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital for medical care. My injuries include; a right leg amputation, removal of half my stomach, shrapnel throughout my whole body, 2 blown ear drums, an implant in my back, as well as a few other, more minor, injuries. To date I have had 48 surgeries due to my injuries and I am rated as 100% disabled. I finished my Associates degree in criminal justice while I was still at Walter Reed, and even flew back 12 days after my amputation to take a test. Education and perseverance have always been important to me and I like to finish the objectives I set for myself. I was medically retired from the Army in 2008 and have since been recovering and continuing my education.

The injuries I sustained were very difficult for me to accept and adjust to, but the dedication and team work I experienced as part of my military service kept my mind and spirit strong. After my recovery, while going to school for my Undergrad, I started participating in Mixed Martial Arts to get my balance back and to prove to myself I could still compete. I was always a physical athlete that enjoyed competition and exercise and it was very difficult for me to hear doctors telling me those days were done and I would never be able to do the things I used to. With an adversarial mindset, I started working with prosthetist and training on my own to prove to myself that I could still be an athletic person.

I started by jogging. At first, I could only run about ¼ of a mile before I had to stop. After months of working hard however, I found myself competing in 5k’s, then 10k’s, and pushing myself to my limits. I then went on a trip to Tanzania to volunteer at an orphanage where many of the children had disabilities, and while I was there, climber to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Though it was not easy, accomplishing that climb made me realize that with hard work I could overcome my disabilities. I continued to work with prosthetics and I was given the opportunity to give back to other soldiers like myself by trying out new prosthetic legs from the Department of Defense that were to be given to other soldiers like myself. The testing process involved flying to Florida for weeks at a time, running with the legs, as well as, completing a S.W.A.T obstacle course with each of the legs to see which would be best for the service members to use.

I continue to this day to stay physically active, running on the old saying, “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” I continue to hike mountains, run, and play sports. I married a wonderful nurse who gave me 3 beautiful children. I now have a 6 year old girl, and 2 boys, ages 4 and 2. To be honest, it is sometimes hard to keep up with the kids, and it’s also hard to tell them they can’t ride on daddy’s shoulders because his leg hurts. All dad’s want their kids to think they’re Superman and that they can do anything, but sometimes I just have to sit down for 30 minutes and take my leg off to give it a rest, no matter where we are. Truthfully, I dread the day when they get old enough to be embarrassed of me having to do so. While the injury itself is not something to be embarrassed of, I fear their reaction when they begin to notice the looks I receive from strangers staring at my malformed stump while I’m resting. I do rest well however, knowing that my children know a little bit about the cost of freedom.

I am still continuing my education in law school. I am currently in my 3rd year and it is a difficult environment to have disabilities. I constantly have to miss a class here or there to go to a doctor appointment or a surgery, and with PTSD, it is sometimes hard to focus on the instructor instead of who’s coming in the door, or any other type of movement from one of the other students. Once again though, hard work is the great equalizer. I work on my own a lot and have managed to do very well here. Though disabilities can be a set-back, they can also be a motivational tool that drives you to improve yourself. I believe I still have a lot to offer society, and I want to show my children that you can persevere through life’s challenges and improve the lives of those around you. While being severely injured was a bad point in my life, it was not the end point, and it’s only a person’s mind and spirit that determines where that point will be.

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