Starting his military career with the U.S. Navy, Terrence Young re-enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998 as a helicopter technician and an equal opportunity advisor. After 9/11 his life changed drastically, and he began preparations to deploy to war. During his training, he injured his left arm and ulnar nerve, requiring surgery, but was still able to ultimately deploy to Afghanistan in late 2013.
In February 2014, Young was caught off-guard in a base assault, which re-injured his left arm and his spinal nerve. He was medically evacuated to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and eventually transferred to the Warrior Transition Battalion in Fort Riley, Kansas, for treatment. His injuries left him with severe atrophy in his left hand, causing his hand to be stuck in a “claw position,” due to the loss of fine motor skills and grip.
During his medical and mental health rehabilitation, he rediscovered his love of sports and became involved in adaptive archery, learning to use his teeth to shoot a bow in the absence of his left hand. However, as he approached his 2nd neck surgery in 2017, this adaptation became difficult. Through our Warrior’s Wish program, we provided him with adaptive archery equipment to support his needs and pursue the passion that gives him HOPE.
Today, Young continues to participate in competitive archery, citing his fallen soldiers and friends as his inspiration to fuel his drive.