Never give up. Never quit
5 out of 5 stars
Thousands upon thousands of men and women have given their lives and their limbs to fight to protect our country from the evils of the world. All of their lives are important, they all had stories to tell. But SSG Travis Mills has an incredible story to tell. He is the one of the only soldiers to have ever survived a quadruple amputee injury.
There are just some books that are hard to put into words. This is one of those books. It is inspiring and it has touched me in ways that will forever change me. Travis Mills is a hero, for both sacrificing himself in battle and for what he’s done since returning home. Soldiers like this are amazing to me.
The book is full of useful stories and anecdotes that Mills tries to teach others since returning home. This is the ultimate underdog story. He does not want the reader to feel bad or sorry for him — no. Quite the opposite. Mills wants this to be a story about overcoming adversity. He wants the reader to feel the same way. No matter what life throws in your way, you can overcome it with the right attitude.
Overall, this book was an incredible read and I would highly recommend it if you are in a funk in your life. Sometimes all you need is just that voice in your head to say “let’s get past this.” I think that SSG Mills can help kickstart that voice in our head.
Thousands have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Five have survived quadruple amputee injuries. This is one soldier’s story.
Thousands of soldiers die year to defend their country. United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was sure that he would become another statistic when, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was caught in an IED blast four days before his twenty-fifth birthday. Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost—Travis became one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.
Suddenly forced to reconcile with the fact that he no longer had arms or legs, Travis was faced with a future drastically different from the one he had imagined for himself. He would never again be able to lead his squad, stroke his fingers against his wife’s cheek, or pick up his infant daughter.
Travis struggled through the painful and anxious days of rehabilitation so that he could regain the strength to live his life to the fullest. With enormous willpower and endurance, the unconditional love of his family, and a generous amount of faith, Travis shocked everyone with his remarkable recovery. Even without limbs, he still swims, dances with his wife, rides mountain bikes, and drives his daughter to school.
Travis inspires thousands every day with his remarkable journey. He doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded. “I’m just a man with scars,” he says, “living life to the fullest and best I know how.”
Retired U.S. Army staff sergeant TRAVIS MILLS of the 82nd Airborne is a wounded warrior, motivational speaker, and international advocate for veterans and amputees. He is one of only five servicemen from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ever to survive his injuries as a quadruple amputee. He started the Travis Mills Foundation, which benefits and assists wounded and injured veterans. www.travismills.org