Tough As They Come by Travis Mills
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Thousands have been wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Five have survived quadruple amputee injuries. This is one soldier’s story.
Thousands of soldiers die year to defend their country. United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was sure that he would become another statistic when, during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was caught in an IED blast four days before his twenty-fifth birthday. Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost—Travis became one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.
Suddenly forced to reconcile with the fact that he no longer had arms or legs, Travis was faced with a future drastically different from the one he had imagined for himself. He would never again be able to lead his squad, stroke his fingers against his wife’s cheek, or pick up his infant daughter.
Travis struggled through the painful and anxious days of rehabilitation so that he could regain the strength to live his life to the fullest. With enormous willpower and endurance, the unconditional love of his family, and a generous amount of faith, Travis shocked everyone with his remarkable recovery. Even without limbs, he still swims, dances with his wife, rides mountain bikes, and drives his daughter to school.
Travis inspires thousands every day with his remarkable journey. He doesn’t want to be thought of as wounded. “I’m just a man with scars,” he says, “living life to the fullest and best I know how.”
My thoughts:
“You have to make the best of it. You have to keep going. You’ve got to be as tough as they come.”
Tough As They Come is an inspiring true story, one that will challenge and motivate all who are facing adversity! “It’s amazing what you can accomplish once you make the all important decision to go forward.”
I appreciated Travis’s candor and honesty as he recounts his life before and after the IED explosion that forever changed his world. “Against the odds, he lived, but at a severe cost – Travis become one of only five soldiers from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to survive a quadruple amputation.”
Travis shares his thoughts and actions throughout the book, and he also shares those of his family and friends. I was moved not only by Travis’s words, but also by the journal entries from his wife Kelsey that detail the emotional turmoil their family endured.
Travis says, “My main message is one that many people can relate to. Hard times come to everybody. When hard times happen, we have a choice to make. We can become discouraged and bitter, or we can choose to never quit. When life gets hard, the key is just to keep pushing forward. Instead of saying “It could be worse,” the key is to say, “It’s going to get better.” Then work with all your might toward that goal.”
Travis Mills’ memoir is a remarkable story and one that will encourage all who read Tough As They Come!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
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