What's Your Excuse?

I was excited at Christmas this year when my wife began handing me my presents from her. I was excited because I had asked for Noah Galloway’s autobiography, Living With No Excuses, which details his injuries and struggles to get past depression. 

Prior to this autobiographical memoir by Mr. Galloway, I had some exposure and knowledge of his injuries due to being a subscriber to Men’s Health Magazine. He had competed to be on the cover of one of their issues and won. 

After reading the article, I studied relentlessly to figure out who this double amputee that had been wounded in a roadside bomb was. To sound almost pessimistic, I did not understand how one wounded war veteran could stand out from the rest. To have gained that type of notoriety for his wounds was beyond the scope of my understanding.

I would say I almost became obsessed with Noah Galloway’s story. I wanted to know who he was and understand his story because I had the perception that he was a war hero due to having gained such notoriety.

After some studying, seeing him on Dancing With the Stars, and then American Grit, I began to understand that he was an injured veteran that had taken the hand he had been dealt and worked hard to make something out of it. 

Noah Galloway, for those of you who are not familiar with his backstory, was an infantry soldier in the 101^st Airborne Division. During his second deployment to Iraq, he was injured when a Humvee he was driving in was struck by a roadside bomb. He woke up six days later in Walter Reed Medical Center. When he woke up, he learned that he had lost his left arm and left leg. 

After reading his book, I gained a greater understanding and appreciation for Sgt. Galloway. He struggled with depression, alcoholism, and trying to find his place in a world that was new to him. He struggled to understand how he could function in this world with his new condition.

Noah Galloway gained something from his loss that most human beings never gain with every limb attached to their body. He gained appreciation for what he had left and a drive to succeed that was unparalleled. 

After spending some time in jail and living in depression, Noah found happiness in fitness and using his losses to inspire others to press forward in the world despite their circumstances. He gained a strong appreciation for his children and used his personal experiences to teach others how to be successful despite the obstacles life places before you.

Noah Galloway maintains that he is not a war hero, that he is just a veteran who was injured while overseas and that he made the best out of what he had. 

His story continues to inspire others on a daily basis and he is now a motivational speaker and fitness advocate.

Lesson Learned

Life is not about what happens to you. Life is about what you make happen. Life is about taking a dime sized opportunity presented to you and turning it into an ocean.

Noah Galloway could have easily given up after his injuries and allowed himself to continually wallow in his own pity and depression. 

He chose the opposite…he chose to push forward and use his injury to make something out of his life that could inspire others.

We could learn something from such an example. Being injured….losing things that are important to us does not mean that it is the end of our world.

Someone like Noah Galloway is a rare percentage of the population. He took a bad situation and made a success story out of it. For that, Noah Galloway is a war hero. He is a war hero for not losing the battle within himself and inspiring others to not give up in their fight.

His story has inspired millions, saved thousands, and been told to countless Americans that have watched it.

One lesson I learned from reading his book is that if a person can take a bad situation such as losing two limbs and make a successful and inspiring situation for him…What can I do with all four of my limbs? 

This book is truly inspiring and Noah Galloway conveys his message to the reader in an inspirational manner. Teaching us that we can make the best out of a bad situation no matter what circumstances surround us.

Let me know what you think about this blog. Comments, likes, and shares. 

Don’t forget to like our page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/thecopseye/

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and letting me share my story with you. You can contact me with questions or input at jamesiven99@gmail.com.