The Paralympics kicked off in London toward the end of August, and with them came a host of inspiring stories and astonishing accomplishments. Among the athletes who has put on one of the best performances is swimmer Brad Snyder, a blind Navy lieutenant who has already taken home a gold and silver medal, reports The Associated Press.
Snyder lost his eyesight just over a year ago due to an explosion in Afghanistan. Ever since the 2011 blast, Snyder has made it his mission to overcome his blindness, and thanks to a large support network he has done so in a relatively short amount of time. In addition to winning medals in the pool, Snyder wants to inspire other wounded warriors.
"I hope that my generation, the warriors coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq who are lying in bed missing a limb or whatever and they don't know what's next, can see my story and say: 'Hey, that's for me. If he can do it, I can too,'" he told the AP.
Snyder is certainly not the only former soldier to earn a spot on the U.S. Paralympic team. There are 20 injured servicemembers who have competed in London this Summer, and six of them are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The accomplishments of Snyder and the other vets on the Paralympic team highlight the importance of supporting the recovery of injured soldiers. There are many charitable efforts across the country aimed at providing wounded warriors with assistance, and at Fort Knox, military officials are planning to open a facility to help injured vets heal and recover, Fox affiliate WDRB reports.
Sumner Warrior Battalion Complex includes a number of services designed specifically with injured troops in mind and is ready to care for them for up to six months. About 200 soldiers are slated to move into the newly-created center. Among them is Sgt. Austin Westerman, who is being treated for shrapnel still in his arm from a 2008 enemy attack.
"I got a case manager, I got the hospital right across the street – we've got a bus that can take us right there," Westerman told the news channel.