Life Keeps Rolling

Madigan Army Hospital, one of the oldest and largest hospital systems in the military sits proudly inside the gates of JBLM (Joint Base Lewis-McChord). This place evokes a lot of different emotions for me. I spent 4 and a half years on Fort Lewis in Washington, probably driving by Madigan ten thousand times. There were only three occasions where I spent any time in there though. Each occasion completely different and completely profound.  1.  In the military you tend to make really strong friendships when you’re going through “the suck” together. That was definitely the case for someone that I would consider my first close Army friend. Both of us 19, and very naïve but full of potential. We had just gone through Ranger Selection together and were at the current highs of our lives. We dawned our tan berets, and left Georgia for 2/75 in Washington. Then we got separated… and he started making dumb decisions. I had to step away from the friendship one night after he got wasted an...

I had some trouble sleeping last night so I got to thinking… no crazy artwork today, just some reflecting… Soon after I was shot, my hometown of Hudson NH started a fundraising campaign called “Joshua Strong”. I remember coming out of my coma to my mom showing me these pictures of the girls basketball team wearing the fundraising t-shirts and I broke down crying. Who was I to deserve this? Those shirts made their way all through out the country and my dad showed me every single picture. Humbled doesn’t even begin to describe it…  In my reflecting it hit me, these ladies are all now the same age that I was when I was shot. The current seniors at the school were in the 7th grade when I was injured with absolutely no idea who I even am. Time is a crazy thing but every time I look back on these pictures I am reminded about my small New England town rallying around me from across the country. 5 years later these pictures still hit me. What a beautiful reminder of kindness & support....