We have, as a country, witnessed the triumph and struggle of our soldiers. They come back from war different people than when they left. What happens to them, what they witness, or the choices they have to make in a split second change them. Our soldiers come back wounded not only psychologically, but also physically. It is up to our communities to step up and help with this process of finding “the next new step” if we can.
On Sunday, November 12th, the Old Goats with their Kids Who Care, along with the City of Coronado, held a recognition reception to honor four wounded warrior amputees and their families. That night, the attendees had the honor to hear from the guest speaker, Bryan Anderson, a triple amputee.
Thank you for coming together to produce such a great weekend for these wounded warriors and families. Particular thanks to Tony Perri and Surfs Up Studios who produced this inspirational video.
Who is Bryan Anderson? Bryan grew up in the Midwest, where in addition to academic excellence, he excelled in high school sports, and later had a job with American Airlines as a ground crew chief at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Bryan enlisted in the Army in April of 2001. After about a six-month wait, his date to leave had arrived, September 11, 2001. Bryan served with the Army military police force, obtaining the rank of Sergeant. He did multiple tours in Iraq working alongside Iraqi police forces, training them with military tactics used by US military forces.
In October 2005, Bryan was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device, or IED. I asked him what was the last thing he remembered? He recalled, “I knew I was close to the base so the airlift would only be a few minutes. I was awake when they put me in the airlift, the aircrewman locked me in, the medic gave me oxygen, it was then that I fell asleep.” This happened in early October, and he awoke seven days later at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C., with all of his family there. “I recalled when I woke up that I was looking at my mom’s face. I thought to myself ‘who brought my mom to Bagdad?’” It was then that she told me I was back in the US at the Army hospital. After a few days, he was able to process where he was and what had happened. The injuries he sustained from the IED resulted in the loss of both legs and his left hand. He is actually one of very few triple amputees to survive these types of injuries. According to his biography, No Turning Back, he spent about 13 months in rehabilitation. Bryan stated that he doesn’t celebrate his “alive day,” he considers it just another day. We discussed his ‘self talk’ that he had to have to get through those days of depression and trying to move forward with his life. He has such a wonderful positive outlook on life, and it is infectious. He talked about going to Las Vegas during the early part of his treatment, and he said that he had such a great time there; it was then that he realized that he could still have a great time in life too.
What is inspiring about Bryan is that he has always been a positive thinker, so having the ability to see the positive side of things (even if it is not immediate) is a wonderful quality to possess, and incredibly helpful in the healing process. It has helped him in his life, taking what he has gained from this situation and being able to convey that message of hope to others. It is a choice you can make, to have a situation take the best part of you, or use the best part of you to make the best of a situation.
Bryan works closely with with many worthwhile organizations, and is also a part of many other projects. Since 9/11 there have been many individuals and families that have joined the military to serve and protect us. And in the 16 years following 9/11, men and women have lost their lives, or they’ve sustained injuries that have prevented them from an earning capacity they once enjoyed. Bryan is a spokesman for USA Cares, which is a program based out of Kentucky that helps post 9/11 veterans in time of need with many big issues that our military families face after separation from active duty. USA cares helps with housing assistance, emergency assistance, employment placements, as well as helping with the costs of post injury care for those with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and MST (Military Sexual Trauma). Bryan also is an ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation, whose mission statement is “creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.” The Lt. Dan Band has come to Coronado for years to play a summer concert on the beach. As a spokesperson for Quantum Rehab, Bryan is able to travel the country and deliver his message on the importance of perseverance and determination.
It was such an honor to talk to Bryan. To hear his story, to understand how he could have reacted to his life after October 2005, how he really reacted, and how he has used that for the good. I’m thankful that Bryan can share his story, and help others who are struggling with some of the same, or even very different, issues he faced and help them through their own journey.
