Kickflips and Gifts: Harley Meagley’s New Mission
Warrior Harley Meagley is undeterred by the hard things he has faced in life, and now he hopes to spread his healing joy of skateboarding to others, especially military children. Warriors Doing Hard Things, presented by Mojo, highlights amazing warrior stories of courage and resilience.
Finding a New Normal
He ties the laces of the shoe on his left foot, and then he snaps in the prosthetic on his right leg. Now Harley Meagley is ready to do the thing he loves: skateboarding.
“Originally I got a running leg prosthetic in hopes of running,” said Harley, “but it hurt too much to run, so I used it for skateboarding, which actually allows me more flexibility and helps me pop my ollies and kickflips.”
More than a decade into his Navy career, Harley was deployed to Africa when the chain on a forklift holding a 4,000-pound steel plate barrier broke. That barrier landed on Harley, crushing his foot and resulted in the amputation of his foot above the ankle. But that injury turned into opportunity for the young man who always liked action sports.
“I lost my foot in July 2022, and in December, I was invited to an adaptive snowboarding event, and I loved it. I didn’t know I would be able to do things like that again! So, I figured if I can snowboard, then I can skateboard, and I rushed back onto my board,” recalled Harley.
Harley talks to military kids at a skateboarding event in Jacksonville, Florida.
Skateboarding Becomes a New Mental, Physical Outlet
Harley grew up in Central New York and first started skateboarding as a little kid.
“Skateboarding was an escape for me, it was something I could do on my own, where I didn’t have to be with friends,” said Harley. “By the time I was 8 years old, I was able to do ollies and stuff.”
After joining the Navy in 2010, skateboarding became more than a hobby. While stationed in Virginia Beach, it became his way to decompress amid the daily stresses of military life. The sport became even more important for Harley after his injury.
“After becoming an amputee, I felt normal again when I was able to get on my skateboard,” said Harley. “It felt like a calling to me that benefited my mental health. Skateboarding is special to me in that way.”
Harley’s journey is echoed by many other warriors. According to WWP’s Warrior Survey,* 43% of warriors use physical activities to help them cope with stress or mental health concerns.
Continued Service and Sharing His Passion
Harley joined the Navy partly because he wanted to serve his country and because one of his friends had recently enlisted. But the idea of military service was imprinted on him at a young age through an unexpected gift.
“When I was young, I always had cheap skateboards, but one day a teenager at a local skatepark gave me his brand-new board because he was going off to the military,” Harley said. “I never had a new skateboard before, and that moment was so memorable for me, and I want to give that feeling to other kids.”
As part of his goal to spread the joy of skateboarding, Harley joined Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) on April 23, 2026, in Jacksonville, Florida. He handed out new skate decks to kids whose parents are warriors in honor of Month of the Military Child, as well as to the skateboarding community at Artist Walk Skate Park in downtown Jacksonville.
The Next Skate Ramp for Harley
Now, more than three years removed from his injury, Harley highlights other adaptive skateboarders on Instagram (@harleymeagley), sharing creative ways people of all abilities can ride and do tricks.
Landing a trick with a skateboard is a hard thing for many people, and Harley bounced back from injury to find a way to land tricks adaptively. But that’s not the only hard thing he does. He also faces hard things from a financial standpoint and currently operates an online skate store called Grim vs. Grit, which he hopes to one day grow into a brick-and-mortar storefront.
“The idea of the business is to have skateboarding accessible to everybody and to combine skateboarding, coffee, and a store,” said Harley. “This will give another outlet for people who like to skateboard in my hometown.”
Wounded Warrior Project gives warriors the tools to gain financial confidence and reduce financial stress. Learn more about the ways WWP supports warriors like Harley.
“My injury was an unexpected journey, but it’s a journey that I’m happy to be on now that it’s given me more of an opportunity to share the sport that I love,” Harley said. “I couldn’t have done that without the help of Wounded Warrior Project.”
*Warrior Survey, Wave 3 (conducted May 25 – Aug. 1, 2023)
Learn more about Warriors Doing Hard Things.
Contact: Rich Donnelly, Public Relations, rdonnelly@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.831.7315
About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is the nation’s leading veterans service organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. Our programs, advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.
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