Bobbie O'Brien
Dorie Griggs
Liisa Hyvarinen Temple
Michelle VanHuss
Tracie Ciambotti
Jackie Dorr
South African Olympiad Oscar Pistorius. Photo courtesy of ITNTalk.com.
An inspiring USA Today article that’s being shared within the military community is the story of Oscar Pistorius, the first amputee to compete in Olympic track.
Called the “Blade Runner,” for his two prostheses, the 25-year-old South African will compete in the 400 meters in London on Saturday.
He’s a symbol of hope and an inspiration to a historic number of disabled veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to millions of disabled people around the world.
“I thought I’d never be able to do anything again,” Marine Cpl. Jeff Kessler, 24, says as he takes a break from a slow jog on the indoor track at the medical center.
Last year in July, during an assignment to clear a building in Helmand province in southwestern Afghanistan, Kessler stepped on an explosive device and lost both legs above the knees. He’s learning to run again on two carbon legs.
“I want to be able to run after my sons and take part in a normal life with my family,” he says, beaming.
The full USA Today article is available HERE.
Filed under: Amputation, Veterans Tagged: | Blade Runner, double amputee, Olympic Games, Oscar Pistorius, Prosthesis
Reblogged this on veterans news 3.0.
I am without words to describe my happyness, my admiration, my thougts toward those who has not abandoned itself to a autocommiseration, but, on the contrary, has made of his handicap a point of honor. And this is the sentiment I prouve front to persons who have accepted the challenge called life.Thanks for this big lesson claudio alpaca