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| | | | Justin Shellhammer
In 2003, Justin Shellhammer enlisted in the U.S. Army and received training in the military police program. In July of that year, he returned Ft. Richardson in Alaska, and was in charge of 12 soldiers for field and law enforcement training. Justin was then sent to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.
On April 5, 2005, while out on a patrol, Justin spotted a mortar round on the right side of the dirt sidewalk and realized that the soldiers behind him were walking toward it. He put out his arm to stop them and when he did, one of the soldiers bumped his arm and another one bumped his shoulder, so he lost his balance. When he attempted to regain his balance, he stepped on an active land mine with his left foot. The impact shot him forward and he landed on his chest on another land mine. Fortunately this one did not detonate. His soldiers reacted immediately and applied a tourniquet. Justin put his arm around one soldier and actually hopped to back to his vehicle and called in the incident himself! Later he was told that the tourniquet was applied so well, that he only lost a nosebleed amount of blood.
From a hospital in Afghanistan, Justin was flown to Germany and from there to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.,where his left leg was amputated six inches below the knee. A month after he lost his leg, he received his first prosthetic limb. Although he was able to walk reasonably well, it didn't feel comfortable and he found it difficult to participate in sports activities. Justin was flown down to POA to be fit with a custom liner and socket which would enable him to get back to his busy life. Now he is able to do most anything he wants to.... from dirt bike riding to running,
“Everyone has something they don’t like about their bodies (and you think it would be my leg), but it’s my ears!” He has a love for his country and the military and says, “No matter what you think about the war in Iraq, I want people to understand and appreciate the brotherhood between soldiers and the dedication that they have to each other and to their country. The soldiers that saved me gave my daughter her daddy back.” He also says, “You don’t need two legs to be a real person… all you need is a heart.”
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Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates of Central Florida | (800) 745-2556 | (407) 245-7770 |
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