As Memorial Day approaches, many of us pause to reflect on the true meaning of this solemn holiday. It’s a time to remember the fallen, but at Hope For The Warriors, it’s also a time to honor the resilience of those who carry the weight of loss, trauma, and survival.
In a powerful and emotional episode of the Hope For The Warriors Podcast, retired Army Colonel Greg Gadson joins host Kate Dudley for an intimate conversation about survival, remembrance, and the responsibility of living a life worthy of those who didn’t come home.
Colonel Gadson’s story is one of courage, faith, and transformation. A decorated combat veteran, motivational speaker, and author, Gadson lost both legs and severely injured his right arm when his convoy was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq on May 7, 2007. But rather than let that day define an ending, it marked the beginning of a new chapter—a mission of hope.
“I Shouldn’t Be Here”
“I shouldn’t have survived the battlefield,” Gadson shared. “I went through 129 units of blood and died six times that night. But by the grace of God and those He worked through, I’m alive today.” It’s a staggering statistic. Most hospitals don’t even have that much blood available for a single patient. But through a series of what Gadson calls “blessings and serendipity,” he did survive. Two of the doctors who saved his life had actually played football at West Point just a few years behind him. They recognized him and fought hard to save his life because, as Gadson puts it, “I wasn’t a quitter.”
Memorial Day is often confused with Veterans Day. But for Colonel Gadson, the distinction is deeply personal. “Memorial Day is for those and their families who have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “As I look at what I’ve been through, it pales in comparison to those who didn’t make it home.” In fact, the night he was wounded, Gadson had just left a memorial service for two soldiers killed earlier that week. “I left there with a heavy heart, asking myself, ‘Was it worth it?’ And then I got hit,” he said. It’s this experience that grounds his perspective, one rooted in remembrance but also in purpose.Colonel Gadson believes that true remembrance goes beyond ceremonies and hashtags. It’s about how we live. “No matter how tough things are, we have the opportunity to live, to grow, to fight. That’s our obligation to those who didn’t come home,” he said. “I try not to feel sorry for myself because I am here. I was given a second chance.”
He recounted a deeply personal moment shortly after being moved from intensive care at Walter Reed. From his hospital bed, he heard the thunderous roar of motorcycles on Georgia Avenue, riding to honor the fallen. “I knew they could’ve been riding for me,” he said, his voice cracking. “I just broke down and cried.”
Greg connected with Hope For The Warriors in the early stages of his recovery. Through the organization’s transition and wellness programs, Greg found not only support but a renewed sense of purpose. Hope For The Warriors empowered him to reclaim his identity beyond the uniform, connecting him with fellow veterans and resources that helped him thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Today, Greg continues to champion the mission of HOPE by sharing his story and inspiring others to live with resilience and gratitude.
His journey has been captured in the book, “Finding Waypoints,” that he co-authored with his longtime friend Terese Schlachter. “It wasn’t something I ever intended to publish,” he admitted. “It was cathartic. It helped me heal.”
For 13 years, the manuscript sat unread by him, at least. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that Schlachter read it to him over Zoom, chapter by chapter. “I couldn’t get past the first few chapters before,” he said. “It was like reliving the night I was wounded.”
In 2023, the book finally debuted on Good Morning America with Michael Strahan. Today, it stands as a testament to survival, vulnerability, and the power of storytelling.
Colonel Gadson’s journey is more than a story of survival, it’s a roadmap for anyone facing darkness. His life is a reminder that while we may not control what happens to us, we do control how we respond. As he told Kate in closing, “Hope is a choice. And when you choose hope, you’re choosing to live, to fight, to keep going. That’s how we honor the fallen, by living fully.”
At Hope For The Warriors, Memorial Day is not just a date on the calendar, it’s a call to action. A call to remember, to reflect, and to live with intention. Through stories like Colonel Gadson’s, we’re reminded of the profound cost of service—and the incredible resilience of those who carry that legacy forward.
This Memorial Day don’t just remember the fallen. Honor them by how you live
