Source: Defense.gov
Army veteran Patrick McDonald loved serving his country, but after a tragic training accident in South Korea in 1991, his four-year military career came to an end.
A broken neck and back left McDonald paralyzed from the waist down. He was medically retired from service, and without the Army and the ability to walk, his livelihood began to fade. Never serving his country again was a devastating thought, he said.
“I worked hard to wear a uniform and in representing my country during my military career,” the former cavalry scout said in an interview with American Forces Press Service. “It’s what I wanted to do, and things were going great.”
McDonald began rehabilitation at the Pal Alto Veterans Affairs hospital in northern California, near his home in Orangevale. He was introduced to adaptive sports, and discovered what a powerful and positive impact sports could have. He also found a way to serve his country again.
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