Wounded Veterans Swing into Action
DALLAS, May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kenneth Gibbs will remember August 19, 2004, for the rest of his life. That's the day the retired U.S. Army veteran and his comrades were rolling down the road in northern Iraq when they saw a sudden flash of light as a torrential downpour of bullets, shrapnel, rock, and debris hit their truck. The cause: an improvised explosive device (IED).
Thankfully, the outcome was not catastrophic.
"It was a near-miss," says Gibbs, "but one that will stay with me forever. At first, I thought I just received a lot of bumps and bruises, until another member of the convoy saw the injury on the back of my head. I didn't let it stop me, though. They glued me back together and we continued." It wasn't until later that Gibbs was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Kenneth hasn't let that injury stop him from doing the things he loves, like playing golf. When Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) invited him to play a round of golf with other warriors, he quickly signed up for the event at Bear Creek Golf Club in Dallas, Texas.
"I enjoyed getting out of the house to socialize with other wounded veterans and bond over a peaceful game of golf," says Kenneth, who also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He admits golf is a little challenging for him, but nothing compared to dodging IEDs. "I wasn't there to really compete and win, I wanted to relax and talk to veterans who share similar experiences as me."
That is why WWP created the Alumni program: to bring together wounded service members who face similar challenges adjusting to their injuries and civilian life. The injured veterans come together to bond.
Kenneth says the event also offered him a great opportunity to learn some new golf facts. "I didn't know, for example, that special golf balls are made for people with TBI. The print on them is bigger and bolder to make it easier to follow their path."
Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/371118
SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project