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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (NNS) -- The 40 seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors who competed for Team Navy during the 2018 Department of Defense Warrior Games at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, concluded their play June 9, earning 101 medals, including 25 gold.
The week-long competition brought together approximately 250 service members with upper-body, lower-body, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairments, serious illnesses and post-traumatic stress who participated in eleven adaptive sports.
“Being a part of the Warrior Games this year has inspired me,” said Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Cassidy Busch. “My teammates believed in me, pushed me, and have made me a better me. The people here have become family and will forever be ingrained on my life and who I push to become from here on out.”
Along with the physical recovery and rehabilitation benefits, the Warrior Games help build new relationships between the wounded warriors and caretakers, many of whom share similar experiences.
“Coming here and being around people that are just like you, going through the same struggles is indescribable,” said Lt. Carl Hill. “We are brothers and sisters; there is an instant bond between us. There is a fire — a competitive spirit on the court, but as soon as that whistle blows we are best friends."
Throughout this year’s games, each service member’s ability to fight through adversity and their resounding resilience was on full display.
“I’ve been struggling a lot lately with the things I can’t do anymore,” said Hill. “I’m redefining who I am and being ok with that. It’s about accepting this guy and learning that I can still do hard things.”
A major highlight of this year's Warrior Games for Team Navy occurred during the closing ceremony when retired Aviation Electrician's Mate 3rd Class Anthony Dieli, who has been diagnosed with dementia, received the Heart of the Team award.
The Heart of the Team is an award given to one athlete from each team, selected by the team members, who best exemplifies the attributes of character, integrity and sportsmanship.
“I feel so special; I love my brothers and sisters from my team,” said Dieli. “All is possible when you try with your heart.”
Team Navy, sponsored by Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) - Safe Harbor, will travel to Tampa, Fla. for next year’s Warrior Games.
Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor is the Navy's sole organization for coordinating the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen and providing resources and support to their families. Through proactive leadership, the program provides individually tailored assistance designed to optimize the success of the wounded warriors' recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration activities.
To learn more about Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor, visit www.navywoundedwarrior.com.
For more information about the 2018 DoD Warrior Games, visit http://www.dodwarriorgames.com/.
For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element, visit www.navy.mil/local/npasehq/.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2018 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 280473 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Team Navy Wraps Up Warrior Games Play, by PO1 Marcus Stanley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
