CINCINNATI — It’s all the time fascinating when listening to a veteran who had an inherently harmful job and the best way they describe it — although the job itself took one thing from them. For instance, John Kremer was an explosive ordinance disposal technician for the Navy.
“It is form of like a bit child's dream job," Kremer stated. "I imply, you bought to run round, shoot weapons, blow stuff up, soar out of airplanes, scuba dive, you already know, play within the mud."
Kremer's dream job took his legs in Afghanistan in September 2010.
“I simply bear in mind, you already know, going strolling, strolling after which abruptly, increase," Kremer stated. "And I used to be like, 'What simply occurred?' Like, form of went darkish, and you already know, I used to be simply form of like felt like I used to be floating, after which abruptly, I hit the bottom.”
On the time of the explosion, he was clearing a hill of landmines for troopers of the first Battalion, 87th Infantry of the tenth Mountain Division.
With Kremer bleeding profusely, subject medics labored to use tourniquets, stabilize him and carry him again down the hill.
Quick-forward to a hospital mattress on the Naval Medical Heart in Bethesda, Maryland, the place Kremer required a double amputation beneath each knees. It was a pivotal level in his navy profession and one which didn’t initially cease him from wanting to stay on energetic responsibility.
“I appreciated the navy, however I form of realized the place I used to be gonna be at within the navy. I used to be gonna be at coaching command and educating and stuff like that, not doing actual world," Kremer stated. "I used to be the man that was all the time, you already know, on the market doing the real-world missions and stuff like that. I did not wish to be within the schoolhouse or a coaching unit."
Finally, the Navy gave him the choice to remain in or get out. Kremer filed his retirement paperwork, fueling his determination by what was finest for his household and him.
Simply 12 days earlier than the explosion, Kremer's daughter was born. His rehabilitation focus was formed by his daughter as he set a objective to maintain up together with her as he discovered to stroll once more with prosthetic legs.
His dedication allowed him to take action rather more than simply stroll, and finally, he was competing in biathlons.
“A couple of 12 months or two after doing Warrior Video games. I used to be like, you already know what, and after biathlon, I used to be like, 'I am gonna discover a summer time sport. It is manner too chilly these winter sports activities.' And that is how I received into sitting volleyball,” Kremer stated.
In 2014, he was chosen to Staff USA’s Sitting Volleyball squad, the place he gained silver in volleyball on the Invictus Video games in London.
As he continues to compete and prepare, Kremer hopes his daughter is watching his dedication and success on the court docket.
"I simply hope she takes what occurred to me as a life lesson," he stated. "You understand, that there is all the time one thing higher like you'll be able to't, you already know, see what is going on on in life proper now and count on it to be the identical 5, 10 years from now."
He is aware of the street after restoration could be a problem, and each veteran and even non-veteran who loses their legs have their very own private journey to take.
When requested what received him by means of every day, Kremer provided these phrases:
“Day by day was a greater starting as a result of the extra I pushed myself and the extra I did one thing, every little thing appeared to get higher. I believe, simply speaking about it, I do know, that is the one factor that I actually really feel like helped me throughout my restoration, was simply speaking about what occurred. I imply, it is horrible what occurred and stuff like that, however there's all the time, you already know, a greater aspect to what occurred. It may have been lots worse, like, it actually may have been lots worse. I may have been, you already know, lacking my legs greater up, I may have doubtlessly died. So, you already know, it is simply nice to be right here.”
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