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The wounded Marine: Chris Fesmire

By Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 15, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Chris Fesmire, 29, waits for his custom-made ski-seat to be completed at Aspen Seating in Sheridan. He lost his legs in Iraq in a land mine explosion.

Photo by Javier Manzano / The Rocky

Chris Fesmire, 29, waits for his custom-made ski-seat to be completed at Aspen Seating in Sheridan. He lost his legs in Iraq in a land mine explosion.

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Marine Sgt. Fesmire lost his legs above the knee when a land mine exploded under his Humvee while on patrol in Iraq.

* Age: 29 * Occupation: Volunteer teacher of disabled skiers at Breckenridge. * Home: Hartsel

I had just dropped out of Penn State. I was a student there three semesters, and I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I had an older brother who had gone through all the Army training, and he was home from Ranger school telling me all about it. It sounded exciting. I was looking for adventure and probably some of the discipline, too. So I went with him to the recruiting station, and the Marines were the only one open.

I was enlisted for four years, on active duty from 1998 to 2002. During that time, I did two overseas deployments. I was discharged in February 2003, right before war started. I got called up again, and I went to Camp Pendleton and did some duty there. They sent me to Kuwait for four months; I was doing convoy security for troops coming out of Iraq. I was discharged again, got married and started looking for a job. I couldn't find one, so when the Marine Corps called again and asked me to volunteer for another tour, I went.

Fallujah was going on and I was watching those kids get shot at every day. I had two brothers in Iraq at that time, and I figured if I go help other 18- or 19-year-old kids, I'd be helping them. My mother died while I was deployed in 2001, so the Marines felt like family.

This time, I knew I'd be with an infantry battalion. We did short range security patrol, and five weeks after I had got there, the Humvee I was in ran over some mines.

When I came to, my team was all splayed out unconscious. I tried to get out of the Humvee, but my legs wouldn't work. My legs were hanging above me. They looked a lot like trees falling in the forest.

My brain just kicked into overdrive. The second I rolled out of that truck, I thought, my legs are gone, and I've got to stay alive and deal with it. I had to get back to my wife, Willow.

I had a very strong urge to live.

I'd like to finish up school. I'd like to teach history at a community college in Buena Vista.

My life has changed dramatically, sure. At the same time, what happened opened a lot of doors. This country takes care of disabled vets.

This really isn't the worst thing that's happened to me in my life. With the support of family, friends and nonprofits, I'm living as normal a life as could be.

I support the job the troops are doing. I have two brothers who are going back; my older brother is going in August and my younger brother in the fall.

At the same time, I am concerned about their safety. Watching the news depresses me. The wounded in action goes up all the time, the killed in action goes up all the time. I barely watch anymore. It makes me cry.

Comments

  • December 28, 2008

    9:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    vdevl writes:

    I am Christopher's cousin by marriage. I have known him since he was a little boy. He is an amazing guy. He has not had an easy life - topping it off with the accident in Iraq. But somehow he has made it look so easy - We are all very proud of you. You are the BEST!