“I have no fear. I fear no man.” – Shane Parsons, U.S. Army injured combat veteran, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Few people in this world know their real self – their true character, true fears. They are those who faced death, memorized its facial features, felt small in the shadows of its towering frame, walked in stride with it, and managed to come out the other side of Quit with a deeper understanding about the true grit of life.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, many veterans sacrificed their lives so that others could live. Now, more than ever, veterans are surviving that sacrifice. That survival serves as a marker in the timeline of their lives. A day when they overpowered death. A day they lost others and lost themselves. A day they were given a second chance. A day they will never forget, but sometimes wish they could.
A day they refer to as their Alive Day.
To Remember, Not to Relive
“Anybody can say they have an Alive Day,” said U.S. Army wounded warrior David Guzman. “Plenty of people face death and make it back. But what is important is your perspective on life when you do make it back. To live your life with no regrets, face your fears daily, and always strive to accomplish the impossible.”
On September 17, 2004, David’s reconnaissance convoy was traveling from village to village in Iraq when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in the path of his vehicle.
“Everything seemed to move in slow motion,” said David. “The blast ruptured my eardrum and shrapnel ripped through my cheek, cutting my tongue.” He tried talking, but all that came out was blood. Shrapnel also tore through his leg. As a medic rushed to his side and insurgents continued to advance their attack, David lost consciousness.
“I cherish my Alive Day,” said David, who is nearing his 16-year marker. “I reflect on the years my Alive Day has given me and always ask myself ‘What have I done for someone else recently?’ Because other people got me and my family to this point.”
“I got a second chance to keep making my family happy. They are the ones who stay fresh in my mind to continue and never feel sorry for myself or guilty. Putting a smile on their faces helps me get through my hardships. It takes my mind away from the pain and helps put that horrific day behind me. I remember my Alive Day, and it hurts, but I refuse to relive it. I want to make sure that I pay back what I got. That’s how I cope with it.”
Tested and True
“It’s hard to explain,” said Shane Parsons, U.S. Army wounded warrior. “A lot of us guys joined right out of high school. I knew what I was getting into, and I was ready to die for my country – but I survived. When my injury occurred, yeah, it was bad — but I picked myself up.”
Shane deployed to Iraq in 2005, shortly after finishing high school. On September 30, 2006, an IED detonated near his Humvee, causing Shane catastrophic injuries – including a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), above-the-knee bilateral amputations, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“The last thing I remember was being on the ground and the next thing I know I am waking up at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. My mom was there, and I looked up at her and said, ‘Hey, where you been?’” What Shane didn’t know was that his mother had been by his side for an entire month while he was in a coma. Today, Shane’s mother, Cindy, cares for him full-time.
“Me, as an amputee, I try and make the best of it,” said Shane. “I don’t really dwell on the negative; I focus on the positive. You come out of everything, and you remember that you have a second chance to do good. My second chance included recently marrying my wife.”
He is living a fearless life.
“My Alive Day is a sacred thing. My heart stopped,” said Shane. “I was tested. I was judged. It’s hard to describe – I was ready to go. I was ready to fulfill my oath. Now I reflect on the good times and let go of the bad. I’m grateful I’m alive and doing the things I am, like coaching sports for kids and being an inspirational mentor for them. This year, on my Alive Day – I don’t know – I’m gonna smile and drink a beer. A toast to me. I got the last shot.”
Strength Revealed in Choice
“I’m not a superhero,” said David Camacho, U.S. Army wounded warrior. David’s Alive Day is December 21st – the day a suicide bomber entered the mess tent at Forward Operating Base Marez in Iraq. The detonation killed 22 people and wounded 75, making it the deadliest single attack since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
“Shrapnel was in my head, arms, legs, neck, and stomach,” said David whose only thoughts were about his wife and kids. “I just wanted a second chance. I wanted a chance to finish my life’s mission with them.”
After more than 22 wounds were treated at the Brooke Army Medical Center (BMAC) in San Antonio, Texas, David got that second chance…but it did not come easy. Along with his visible injuries, David also suffered from PTSD.
“Experiences of death and suffering get replayed and magnified when you have PTSD. They can bug you for life if you let them,” he said.
David has since put his Alive Day behind him and now resides in Puerto Rico with his family. “Sometimes I can’t help but think that I almost didn’t make it. But then I look around and see all the beauty I am able to enjoy: my family, friends, and a Caribbean beach.”
Seeing the positive is a choice, says David.
“My Alive Day for me is everything. I am happy to be alive. Grateful. I am happy to have my family with me. I am happy because I had support from family and friends when it was needed most – at the time of my injury. I am happy that I can keep going and continue with my life.”
David says he sees life differently and tries to live day by day.
“I celebrate my Alive Day every day when I am around my friends and family. I celebrate by living life,” said David.
Surviving the War Inside
“Deep within the warrior is the spirit of a survivor,” said Jim Mylott, U.S. Army wounded warrior. “I survived.”
In July 2003, while at a checkpoint in Iraq, a large truck rigged with explosives came barreling toward Jim’s convoy. One of his soldiers threw him into the cab of a nearby Humvee – saving Jim’s life, but fully absorbing the full impact of the trucks collision.
“He died. But sadly not fast enough,” said Jim who carries with him the loss of one of his own. “I woke up in the hospital with most of my memory gone, but I still l had survivor’s guilt. In my mind, his is the last face I see before falling asleep and the first one I see when waking up. It tormented me.”
Jim spent the next two years in the hospital defying the doctor’s diagnosis that he would never get out of his wheelchair. He not only did that, but is also walking fully unsupported. Still, he was losing the battle within. “It’s hard to admit you’re having thoughts about suicide. It came to a day where I wasn’t planning on seeing the next sunrise. It took me awhile to get in a good place.”
Jim now helps other warriors suffering in silence.
“I always tell the guys I’ve been in their shoes,” said Jim. “I’ve stood on that edge and dangled my toes off it. But if you look hard enough you can always find something good with the bad. You have to find the positive because it’s what gives you the hope to move forward. I don’t consider my Alive Day the worst day of my life because if it never happened, I wouldn’t have my wife who I met while I was in the hospital. I wouldn’t have my daughter.”
The strength of survival comes from the depths of an Alive Day.
“Deep down inside – even if it’s so deep you haven’t seen it in years – everyone has that ember,” said Jim. “It’s survival. It’s the instinct to exist. Alive Days are a testament to it. It’s a day of reflection. It’s something we honor.”
Remember & Never Forget
Since the inception of the military campaign against global terrorism, a study published in March 2015 by Physicians for Social Responsibility revealed that at least 1.3 million people have lost their lives as a result of the war. Those numbers include American first responders, civilians, and service members who died as a direct result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
With advancements in battlefield medicine and technology, an unprecedented number of service members survive combat injuries and return home to face their own battles in recovery. To date, more than 52,000 service members have been physically wounded in the current conflicts and it is estimated that as many as 400,000 service members live with the invisible wounds of war, including: combat stress, traumatic brain injury (TBI), depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). David Guzman, Shane Parsons, David Camacho, and Jim Mylott are a few of many injured veterans who endured combat injuries and returned home to face an even more critical battle – their recovery. They found the help they needed through the programs and services offered by Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).
WWP was founded in 2003 by a family and a group of friends who purchased comfort items for the wounded, packed them into backpacks, and hand delivered them to patient’s bedsides at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. To warriors, those backpacks became a symbol that they were not forgotten in their time of need. What started as a gesture bloomed to into a movement – a promise.
Fifteen years later from the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks, the landscape has changed, but the story remains. Terrorism continues to claim the lives of American heroes. It becomes imperative to stand united as a country, supporting those who serve against this fight. Honoring those who have fallen. Empowering those who survive.
WWP salutes all the men and women who lost their lives since that devastating day 15 years ago, and stands ready to help warriors, their families, and caregivers with comprehensive support in the areas of mental and physical health, continuing education and employment assistance, and warrior outreach and reintegration into local communities. Thanks to the generous donors who stand with us in our mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors, these programs and services are offered free of charge. We believe our warriors already paid their dues on the battlefield.
By Vesta M. Anderson
About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. The WWP purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To learn more about WWP visit woundedwarriorproject.org. (Photos courtesy WWP)
