Joining the military is something I had wanted to do since I was a little kid. My dad raised my brother and I with a deep respect for the men and women who answer our nation’s call of civic duty. So much so, that I found myself thinking, from a very young age, about what it would be like to join the military. After my freshman year of college, I decided school wasn’t what I wanted to do. So I decided to fulfill my dream of joining the United States military. It is still one the best decisions I have ever made in my life. The skills it gave me, and the character traits it helped me build within myself have proved to be invaluable since I left. Life after the military can be very difficult however. The culture shock can be quite severe, and many people have a difficult time adjusting to it. For Wounded Warriors, the transition can be especially difficult. On top of the mental challenges, they are presented with physical challenges that many people would not be able to handle. Christopher Garrett is one of those Wounded warriors. During a deployment to Iraq, Christopher suffered a shattered pelvis. Even after surgery and rehabilitation, returning home to certain tasks was difficult. Mowing the lawn was especially hard, because all he had was a push mower. It was painful to use, and it took him twice as long as it had before because of his injuries. Thankfully, someone stepped in to help, and it’s something that Chris and his family will never forget.
Christopher, his wife Brittany, and their young son are a happy family. Christopher deals with some extra difficulties as a Wounded Warrior however. Mowing the lawn was one of the biggest challenges he faced around his own home. Only having a push mower became quite the problem.
When Christopher went to check the mail one day, he found a letter addressed to him. He opened it and found a short, but incredibly powerful message inside.
The note came along with something else. A brand new John Deere riding lawn mower. This would allow him to spend less time on yard work, and more time with his wonderful family.
The donor of this anonymous gift is still a mystery. The Garrett’s were absolutely blown away by this selfless act of kindness shown to them.
Christopher had this to say about the experience, “The war that I have seen has hardened my perception of society, but after today, I truly understand that everyone has their place to be a hero.”
As a veteran, this story touches me to my core. These men and women who went and fought for their country should be receiving the finest care that our country can offer. They answered our nations call during a time of war. Whether you agree with the war or not, these men and women deserve our respect. The fact that someone was willing to step up like this really has restored a little of my faith in humanity.