Amputee GI Won't Let Wounds Stop Him

Even though he'd been in the Army for ten years, Joe Beimfohr never knew war until he was sent to Iraq. A sergeant in a Calvary platoon, he led reconnaissance and security missions, always wary of the perils, such as improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.

Then, a year ago Wednesday, his life changed forever.

But, reports Thalia Assuras, despite horrible wounds he suffered that day, Beimfohr is battling still, refusing to let his injuries keep him from realizing his dreams.

"We were looking at IEDs almost every day," Beimfohr told Assuras, "going up and down roads, stopping, pulling over, looking at things. A lot of danger."

Returning to base from a reconnaissance mission in Baqubah, his lieutenant spotted a copper wire running across the road. They knew immediately that it was an IED.

"We started to disable the device," Beimfohr says. "I didn't really know what I was getting into."

"We noticed that there were other wires branching off the main wire that we had found. … They had buried one in the path of the wire going back towards them, and the soldier in front of me, Specialist Dickinson, he was basically on it when it went off."

Dickinson died instantly but, for a moment, Beimfohr was still standing.

"I remember looking down," he says, "following the wire to make sure we weren't losing it, and the next thing I know, I was being hit by dirt and debris, and I never really heard the explosion. It was more of a pop.

"I do remember being hit by debris and shrapnel and … for a second, I was just stunned. I didn't fall down to my feet. I was still standing after it went off. And then I looked down and saw blood pouring out of my vest."

It was the last time Beimfohr would ever stand on his own legs.

"I am being held down by my guys," he recalled, "'cause I feel pain in my legs, I feel pain in my hand. … I am screaming in pain, and they are trying to hold me down and treat me. … I knew from the blood pouring out of my abdomen that I had a pretty big wound there, but I didn't know about the damage to my legs."The blast completely shattered every bone in Beimfohr's right leg and took off part of his left. He had a gaping wound in his abdomen. His pelvis and hand were severely fractured.

After eight days in a medically-induced coma, he woke up at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

It was only then that he discovered — his legs had been amputated.

"I couldn't believe it," Beimfohr says, "because, you know, I remembered, I couldn't see how I was standing after I was hurt. I was standing on my legs and I was walking still, and then I woke up and they were gone."

A year later, he is working on strengthening his new body, after numerous operations and grueling physiotherapy.

"Joe's done very, very well," his physical therapist, Bunny Wycoff, told Assuras, "and I think I have higher goals for Joe than Joe does some days. … I think the main limitation for him is the pain, and it takes a lot of energy to walk."

And, observes Assuras, a lot of humor.

"My height has actually changed," Beimfohr remarked.

"I was five-eight with legs and, with prosthetics, I'm about five-ten, so the Army gave me a tummy tuck and let me grow about two inches," he laughed.

Beimfohr has two different prosthetics, one of them computerized. He can now walk short distances.

Asked to describe what the sensation is like, Beimfohr replied, "The best way I tell people is, if you were to put on stilts and try to walk, 'cause, when I take a step with my right foot, all my weight balance is going to the right, so that's where you use the hands and the arms."

He is, Assuras remarks, moving forward one step at a time, physically and emotionally.

"It was a very tough road, you know, and sometimes it is still a tough road," Beimfohr says. "I've always believed in myself. I've always tried to maintain a positive attitude and, you know, just because your life changes doesn't mean that it has to end, it has to stop. It's just different now."

Different, but still independent. He just signed a lease for his own apartment. He drives, buys groceries, and is dating.

What's more, "Ebverything still works!" as Beimfohr assured Assuras.

A nice house, a wife, kids: Beimfohr's body may have been shattered, but his dreams have remained intact.

What kind of dad does he think he'll be? "Hopefully," Beimfohr responded, "I will be one that will teach my kids never to give up, 'cause that will impact almost every aspect of their life, you know? … Education, professional, love. It impacts all kinds of areas because … I think people are too quick to give up or to quit trying. … No one ever said it was easy."

Beimfohr is due to be discharged from the Army any day now. He's applying for jobs and looking at education options, and says he's very excited for all the opportunities in front of him.