Yesterday I interviewed 7 “kids”, all under 22, who served their country with pride, and who came back without limbs.
As I heard each of their stories, I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was.
Not lucky because I came back from deployment in one piece; lucky that I was able to hear their stories. Lucky that I was able to meet and know them, even if it was just for an hour.
As they spoke using phrases like “I just wanted to serve” and “I don’t regret a thing” it struck me that these “kids”… all baby faced with DRE BEATs headphones hanging around their necks… “kids“ who wanted nothing more than to be able to run again, I suddenly realized they were not kids, but men.
And at 21…. They were men who would be wiser and stronger than most people I will ever meet in my lifetime.
Thank you for sharing your stories with me…. Sweet kind men.
Rebecca
A U.S. Army combat medic, triple amputee, waiting for physical therapy at Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio. At 22 he says, “We do it because that’s what we are trained to do, that is what we want to do, and that is what we love to do.”