Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veteran's Day - A day to remember and honor our heroes!


Veteran's Day was not a day that meant much to me personally until I started meeting veterans coming back from Iraq. I was surprised to find out that the amount deaths because of the war in Iraq was 4193 troops. On this day I want to remember all of those men and women that have put their lives on the line to serve our country.

Since I use a wheelchair, I often meet veterans who have served in the military, and ended up with devastating injuries. Their lives will forever be changed, in a way I will never be able to relate to. Recently, I met a young guy who served 2 tours of duty in Iraq, and because of an explosion, he lost both legs, and his left arm. He can walk with prosthetic legs, but uses a power wheelchair to get around for most of his mobility. I have seen him in some magazines and read a couple of articles about him, but to meet him in person was a totally different experience. I only spent a few minutes talking with him but, all I could think about in the back of my mind was how young he was! Even though I am sure he has been through a lot in the past few years, he seems to have a great attitude. He has been traveling around and sharing his story with people all over the country, and visiting with veterans injured in the war. In a couple of weeks I will get a chance to hear his story in person and am really looking forward to it.

A couple of months ago, I was invited to an event hosted by the Northwest Paralyzed Veterans Association here in Seattle, WA. There I was the only girl in a wheelchair, not a veteran, and surrounded by 20 plus veterans that had flown in from all over the country. They were here in Seattle to participate in an annual Trapshoot event hosted by the Northwest PVA. It gave me a good chance to spend sometime with some local veterans and others from around the country. I was really impressed with the support and respect they all have for each other. I can tell that there is a very special and unique camaraderie among veterans, which is very understandable, since they can relate to each other. I am glad to have spent time getting to know them and I look forward to attending more of their events in the future.

So on this Veteran's Day, I will honor and respect so many brave men and women who have put their lives on the line, and remember those who are no longer with us.

To learn more about the Paralyzed Veterans of America organization visit their website: http://www.pva.org/


Tammy Wilber
~Remembering America’s Heroes~

1 comment:

patwilber said...

Good Morning,

So proud, really gives us insight into you, how fortunate to be able to meet these amazing people and beable to really know how it effects you. one way for us to get it to know you better from a distance.

love, Pat