Veteran creates new normal after drastic decision

Editor’s Note: Brian Taylor Urruela, known as Taylor to his friends, served 6-½ years in the U.S. Army. He lives in Tampa, Florida, and is a personal trainer and fitness model and is working toward a creative writing degree at the University of Tampa. The opinions in this article are those of the author.

October 22, 2006.

Four o’clock in the afternoon.

Just outside Baghdad.

We were at the end of a year-long tour, two days from returning to Kuwait, and from there back to our home duty station in Baumholder, Germany.

It was the start of a simple mission. We were taking the new unit commander around our area of operations, sharing everything he needed to know. The mood was light and spirits were high. We talked about the countries we would visit around Europe during our month of leave, as well as our plans for Christmas.

We didn’t see two bombs freshly embedded into the curb. In the blink of an eye my world went black.

I heard my gunner yelling and moaning as I coughed myself back into consciousness. Bits of flesh lined the interior of the Humvee and the windshield was completely shattered. When I looked back at my gunner, both of his feet had been ripped from his legs. Another soldier behind me, whose arms were shredded from the shrapnel, asked me to open his door for him. When I turned back around, thick copper shrapnel embedded in my thigh moved pieces of my femur out of place and a pain like I’ve never felt before took over my body.

Over the next five days, I was shipped to four different hospitals in three different countries. My memories of these days are clouded and spotty, but I remember calling my dad from a satellite phone. My father’s voicemail picked up and I left him a narcotic-infused message: “Hey, Pops. I got blown up. My buddy died. I’m OK. Love you.”

Once stable enough for flight, I was shipped from Landstuhl, Germany, to Washington. Landing at Andrews Air Force Base and feeling the October breeze whip across my face was one of the best feelings in the world. I took a deep breath – I’m home.

Two days later, my femoral artery blew.

It was five o’clock in the morning. I was battling a newfound case of insomnia with an episode of Home Improvement.

Everything happened so fast. Blood burst from my leg and within seconds I became lightheaded and my face began to tingle. My eyelids fluttered rapidly as I fought to keep them open, all the while begging the doctors and nurses to save my life.

My heart stopped beating twice on the operating table. The surgeons worked for 14 hours to save my life, replacing my damaged artery with a vein from my other leg.

By the grace of God, I survived.

But for two years I fought to save what was left of my leg. I battled my way through dozens of surgeries until things were the best they were going to get. I couldn’t live with that. I was 22 years old with a competitive fire still burning inside of me, and the thought of never running or playing ball again was too hard to accept. So I made a choice and met with the doctors about an elective amputation.

Two years after my amputation, I medically retired from the Army in prime physical condition. I tried my hardest to move on with my life. I enrolled at West Virginia University, pledged a fraternity and attempted to be a “normal” college kid. That proved difficult.

It wasn’t long before I found myself lost in a world of partying and depression.

I didn’t want to be “that veteran with PTSD.” I didn’t want that stigma to follow me everywhere I went – so I drowned those feelings in drugs and alcohol. I lost who I was, and I had absolutely no idea how to change.

There was one thing I did know: I needed a fresh start.

I chose Tampa, Florida, packed my bags and shipped out. With my move came a new sense of empowerment. I hated how I transitioned from the military to civilian life. I hated that there had been no support for me within the community. I had a strong desire to do something about it.

With two other combat-wounded veterans, I co-founded VETSports, a veterans community sports nonprofit organization. On our own roads to recovery, each of us had learned the rehabilitative power of team sports and the positive effect it could have.

Along with running VETSports, I am a personal performance trainer, helping others reach their health and fitness goals. I also have become a fitness model. Inspired by photographs of a fellow wounded veteran Alex Minksy, I took part in a shoot with renowned photographer Michael Stokes in December 2014.

Since that time, I have been able to reach people from all walks of life through social media. I frequently get asked to help people fight their own battles.

Thanks to staying motivated, fighting through the hard times and a dedicated support system, I am now able to dedicate my life to helping others and to living out my dreams and passions to the fullest extent.