Helping Disabled Vets get freedom
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Well a little bit about me. I am a 12 yr Army veteran. I spent 9 yrs in the 82nd Airborne Division. Then spent 3 yrs on Recruiting Duty in the Los Angeles area. I had planned to be a 20 yr retiree. Coming up on my third year of recruiting I was so excited to go back to the Airborne community that I so very much loved. But......
On July 14, 2017, I was coming back from physical training, so excited to get some breakfast. As I was going through a green light intersection and was struck by a plumbing truck. I got to the hospital they had told me that I had a bilateral T12 fracture, blunt force trauma to my tail bone region, and my left ankle had be spun around three times. Not knowing what any of that meant or what it meant to my future. I thought we'll just get this fixed and I'll just be on my way.
Well it didnt quite go that way. I woke up from surgery and I realized I couldnt move my legs from the waist down. My left leg was in this crazy cage (external fixature). I was in such disbelief. I went from snowboarding every weekend, volleyball three times a week, three softball teams, being able to throw my ruck on and take the dogs for a hike.......to..... As far as I new being in a wheelchair and having to be assisted on everything for the rest of my life. That was the moment I felt my world got turned upside down. Especially coming from being one who jumps out of perfectly good airplanes, kicks in doors, totes a machine gun, barrel-chested freedom fighter. As my recovery went on I slowly started to gain movement in my hips and knees and strength in my quads. At that moment I made a commitment that will not be wheelchair bound. I have just hit my one year mark. I feel my improvements are great. Although there have been plenty of ups and downs. I am able to walk with assisted devices. As far as my status now I am not able move anything below the knees. Weak abductors, glutes, and hamstrings due to the trauma. I can walk using phat braces and a forearm crutch.
Now to the GoFundMe part. I was traveling back and forth from home to therapy. I was pretty much homebound all day. I did not have any activity to release my mind, the stir craze, and feel those moments of achievement. One day coming back from therapy I saw those rental bike racks on the side of the road. I thought to myself I wonder if I could ride a bike?. So I had my wife pull over and we rented two. Although it was challenging. I was excited that with some momentum I could make this work. The problems I encounter was with having weak abductors and glutes I could not get the bike started. Just didnt have the strength to get the momentum going especially if I was facing uphill. Also if I lost momentum going up hill I was pretty much going down. As I did research I started looking into electric bikes. Now as explained before I wasnt much of just a stroll along the sidewalk type of guy. I just loved getting into nature and letting my thoughts be released. I'm sure some can relate to that. So I purchased me a low end bike and put a electric mid drive kit on it. Let me tell when I got on that thing and hit some of those mountain bike trails, that I would have never thought would be seen by me again. Except by driving by in a truck. The feeling was amazing. In those moments I honestly forget I was handicapped. I felt like my normal self. Just being able to get to the top and look down on the world and realize things could be or could have been worse. Plus it actually is helping in the strengthen of my abductors, glutes, and other stabilizer muscles. So not only is it helping me mentally it also helps me in the areas I am physically weak. So I got to thinking about a buddy(brother), that I served with. On our 2012 deployment to Afghanistan he stepped on an IED. He lost his lower left leg (above knee amputee). I was so excited about this bike and the capabilities it gave me. I took it down to San Diego so he could try it. Seeing the smile on his face of being able to touch places we thought were untouchable by us ever again. It hit me how could I get funds to build a bike for him and others like us. So here I am turning to ya'll to help Wounded Veterans or veterans in similar injury cases get back in nature in a adventurous way. That sense of freedom. The funds would help get a bike that is durable as we still fall alot. But that's part of the adapt and overcome spirit. Also sized to the individual so there geometry is not off. Then the electric kit that provides the pedal assist and full throttle capabilities. Which has saved my butt a time or two.
I want to thank anyone that took the time to read my long winded story. Remember any little bit helps. If cant donate I just ask if you could help spread the word. It would be greatly appreciated.
On July 14, 2017, I was coming back from physical training, so excited to get some breakfast. As I was going through a green light intersection and was struck by a plumbing truck. I got to the hospital they had told me that I had a bilateral T12 fracture, blunt force trauma to my tail bone region, and my left ankle had be spun around three times. Not knowing what any of that meant or what it meant to my future. I thought we'll just get this fixed and I'll just be on my way.
Well it didnt quite go that way. I woke up from surgery and I realized I couldnt move my legs from the waist down. My left leg was in this crazy cage (external fixature). I was in such disbelief. I went from snowboarding every weekend, volleyball three times a week, three softball teams, being able to throw my ruck on and take the dogs for a hike.......to..... As far as I new being in a wheelchair and having to be assisted on everything for the rest of my life. That was the moment I felt my world got turned upside down. Especially coming from being one who jumps out of perfectly good airplanes, kicks in doors, totes a machine gun, barrel-chested freedom fighter. As my recovery went on I slowly started to gain movement in my hips and knees and strength in my quads. At that moment I made a commitment that will not be wheelchair bound. I have just hit my one year mark. I feel my improvements are great. Although there have been plenty of ups and downs. I am able to walk with assisted devices. As far as my status now I am not able move anything below the knees. Weak abductors, glutes, and hamstrings due to the trauma. I can walk using phat braces and a forearm crutch.
Now to the GoFundMe part. I was traveling back and forth from home to therapy. I was pretty much homebound all day. I did not have any activity to release my mind, the stir craze, and feel those moments of achievement. One day coming back from therapy I saw those rental bike racks on the side of the road. I thought to myself I wonder if I could ride a bike?. So I had my wife pull over and we rented two. Although it was challenging. I was excited that with some momentum I could make this work. The problems I encounter was with having weak abductors and glutes I could not get the bike started. Just didnt have the strength to get the momentum going especially if I was facing uphill. Also if I lost momentum going up hill I was pretty much going down. As I did research I started looking into electric bikes. Now as explained before I wasnt much of just a stroll along the sidewalk type of guy. I just loved getting into nature and letting my thoughts be released. I'm sure some can relate to that. So I purchased me a low end bike and put a electric mid drive kit on it. Let me tell when I got on that thing and hit some of those mountain bike trails, that I would have never thought would be seen by me again. Except by driving by in a truck. The feeling was amazing. In those moments I honestly forget I was handicapped. I felt like my normal self. Just being able to get to the top and look down on the world and realize things could be or could have been worse. Plus it actually is helping in the strengthen of my abductors, glutes, and other stabilizer muscles. So not only is it helping me mentally it also helps me in the areas I am physically weak. So I got to thinking about a buddy(brother), that I served with. On our 2012 deployment to Afghanistan he stepped on an IED. He lost his lower left leg (above knee amputee). I was so excited about this bike and the capabilities it gave me. I took it down to San Diego so he could try it. Seeing the smile on his face of being able to touch places we thought were untouchable by us ever again. It hit me how could I get funds to build a bike for him and others like us. So here I am turning to ya'll to help Wounded Veterans or veterans in similar injury cases get back in nature in a adventurous way. That sense of freedom. The funds would help get a bike that is durable as we still fall alot. But that's part of the adapt and overcome spirit. Also sized to the individual so there geometry is not off. Then the electric kit that provides the pedal assist and full throttle capabilities. Which has saved my butt a time or two.
I want to thank anyone that took the time to read my long winded story. Remember any little bit helps. If cant donate I just ask if you could help spread the word. It would be greatly appreciated.
Fundraising team (2)
Justin Moore
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
Brandi Moore
Team member
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