SAN ANTONIO – US Army veteran Beth King was injured while on a mission in Afghanistan in 2011.
The helicopter King was in was shot down by an RPG, a rocket propelled grenade.
“Thankfully, we were only about 400 feet off the ground when we were hit. So, we were able to land, and everyone was able to get out,“ King said.
King sustained significant injuries to her jaw, spine, and brain. King said right after the incident she had a lot of balance issues and could barely walk across a room without falling.
She was medically discharged from the Army in 2014.
“So, it was very dark. It was like I didn’t even have any hope,” King said.
With the help of the Wounded Warrior Project, King has been able to find her way out of the darkness and regain her hope.
“There’s absolutely nothing that I can’t do today. It may not look the same as if you were doing it, but you know, with the right equipment and the right time and training and persistence, there’s not an injury that that you can’t do something with,” she said.
Marc Hoffmeister, adaptive sports director for the Wounded Warrior Project, said one of the biggest challenges for wounded veterans is regaining self-confidence and overcoming personal barriers.
“Getting a warrior in the sport and having them realize the capability that still lies within. That’s a key goal, but that’s just the first step,” Hoffmeister said.
He said the second step to recovery is progressively training veterans to be superior athletes.
A sports clinic for wounded warriors was held at the event center at Morgan’s Wonderland. Through an adaptive sports program, warriors can play the sports they love and learn new ones.
King now hopes to inspire other wounded warriors to improve their health, quality of life and build camaraderie through adaptive sports.
She is nationally classified as a F34 javelin thrower and is currently working towards making the US Paralympic team.
“Get back in the game, come join an adaptive sport, come to a clinic, get support. Don’t do this alone. There’s no reason to be out here struggling by ourselves” King said.
Hoffmeister said the process of enrolling in The Wounded Warrior Project is easy.
You can call the Wounded Warrior Project Resource Center and get lined up with the type of program that best fits your needs. There are large number of programs that are ready to support veterans, particularly in military adaptive sports that provide them a path to whatever their pursuit is, whether it’s a recreational sport or participation in competitive endeavors like Wounded Warrior Games.
For more information call 888-997-2586 or email resourcecenter@woundedwarriorproject.org.