Photo By Lance Cpl. Sharon D. Kyle | U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Ivan Sears with Wounded Warrior East, from San Antonio,...... read more read more
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - “The most challenging thing is getting my body strong again and finding a new normal,” said Cpl. Ivan Sears on injuries he sustained in Marjah, Afghanistan.
Sears will compete in the 2013 Warrior Games next week and despite his injures he continues to challenge himself through athletic competition.
“Even though my life has changed forever, I still have fun,” said Sears.
Sears’ life changed in 2010 while he was conducting combat operations in Operation Enduring Freedom.
“I walked through a doorway and stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device. I immediately lost my legs and broke my hips,” said Sears.
He was evacuated to Walter Reed Army Medical Center (now Walter Reed National Military Medical Center).
Two months later Sears moved to San Antonio, Texas, at the Center for the Intrepid. Within months Sears began walking and running. He quickly found himself becoming active again.
“At the (Marine Corps) Trials I started wheelchair racing and stuck with it ever since.” The Marine Corps Trials is hosted by the Wounded Warrior Regiment in Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The Trials serve as a preamble for the Regiment’s Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program to select 50 athletes that represent the Corps at the 2013 Warrior Games.
“It feels good to represent the Marines and my hometown (San Antonio, Texas) at the Games,” said Sears on being selected for the 2013 All-Marine Warrior Games team. “Being here at the Games definitely takes the focus off a lot of other things. Since I am around other wounded guys it makes me feel better. We all share the same experience, but our stories are a little bit different.”
Sears will make history at the 2013 Warrior Games with 49 other wounded, ill and injured Marines from across the nation. He is looking forward to competing in wheelchair racing and cycling. His future goals include going to the Paralympics.
“I need a lot more training,” said Sears. “My coach Sal has been very supportive. He helped me with my technique and learning everything. He is a Paralympian himself and pushes me to set my goals.”
Sears’ advice to newly injured Marines is, “don’t stop living. Just keep going. You can still do a lot. You just have to change it a little bit.”
The Warrior Games is a Paralympic style competition to elevate wounded, ill and injured service member’s abilities through athletic competition.
The forth annual Warrior Games will be held at the Olympic Training Center and Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 10-16.
Athletes will have a chance to compete in swimming, track and field, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, cycling, shooting and archery.
The All-Marine team will defend their first place title against the Army, Navy /Coast Guard, Air Force and SOCOM.
For more information about the Wounded Warrior Regiment or All-Marine Warrior Games team go to woundedwarriorregiment.org, www.facebook.com/wwr.usmc or call the Sgt. Merlin German Wounded Warrior Call Center at 1 877-487-6299.
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.03.2013 17:30 |
| Story ID: | 106323 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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