Humbling experiences with some true Heroes
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:06 am
My daughter (13) was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society this year which requires it's members to perform 30hrs of community service. To her, the ideal volunteering gig would be with an animal shelter or anything working with animals. Unfortunately, her age and the liability involved, prevents it. We tried a couple local libraries but they are all over whelmed with volunteers.
Remembering back to last summer when my wife, daughter and I did our SCUBA certified, we had several Wounded Warriors who were assisting with the class and working towards higher level certifications (i.e. Dive master). Being a DAV myself, I hit it off with these guys and between instructions and diving, we exchanged Army stories. So, still needing to find some place for my daughter to volunteer, I contacted the local dive shop and asked if they were doing any more of the adaptive diving classes for the Wounded Warrior program and if they would like a volunteer to assist with the classes. Luck have it, they were starting a class that day at Ft Sam Houston and they were happy to have her come and help out. I informed my daughter who we became super excited to work with these guys and gals.
Yesterday was swim test and day 1 of pool work. 100% passed the swim test and before the end of the session, all had assembled their gear, entered the pool and took their first breaths underwater. I never heard any one of them use the word can’t. It is extraordinarily humbling be in the presence of these men and women.
Here is a link to a story that Kens5 did on the program last year http://www.kens5.com/news/Soldier-amput ... 61045.html
A side note: the young man in the still photo before the video begins was one of our assistant instructors. He recently lost his other leg and had to take a break from diving. But he is getting to spend some of that extra time with his 5th child, a little girl, and is already preparing to come back and complete his instructor’s certification. John Duggan told me yesterday that his ultimate goal is to have all Adaptive Divers teaching Adaptive diving to these heroes.
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Remembering back to last summer when my wife, daughter and I did our SCUBA certified, we had several Wounded Warriors who were assisting with the class and working towards higher level certifications (i.e. Dive master). Being a DAV myself, I hit it off with these guys and between instructions and diving, we exchanged Army stories. So, still needing to find some place for my daughter to volunteer, I contacted the local dive shop and asked if they were doing any more of the adaptive diving classes for the Wounded Warrior program and if they would like a volunteer to assist with the classes. Luck have it, they were starting a class that day at Ft Sam Houston and they were happy to have her come and help out. I informed my daughter who we became super excited to work with these guys and gals.
Yesterday was swim test and day 1 of pool work. 100% passed the swim test and before the end of the session, all had assembled their gear, entered the pool and took their first breaths underwater. I never heard any one of them use the word can’t. It is extraordinarily humbling be in the presence of these men and women.
Here is a link to a story that Kens5 did on the program last year http://www.kens5.com/news/Soldier-amput ... 61045.html
A side note: the young man in the still photo before the video begins was one of our assistant instructors. He recently lost his other leg and had to take a break from diving. But he is getting to spend some of that extra time with his 5th child, a little girl, and is already preparing to come back and complete his instructor’s certification. John Duggan told me yesterday that his ultimate goal is to have all Adaptive Divers teaching Adaptive diving to these heroes.
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