Strength, perseverance, courage, determination and inspiration.
These are just a few characteristics I quickly learned from my phone interview of United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne, a quadruple amputee, who lost portions of both arms and legs as the result of an IED on April 10, 2012 while on patrol during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.
His heartfelt inspirational documentary, Travis: A Soldier’s Story, has been screened in more than 30 cities and gives viewers an inside look into the events that happened that fateful day and how he has taken this difficult life experience and turned it into something positive.
“That day was a rough day at work,” he modestly said. “I didn’t do anything nobody else wouldn’t do for their country. My story was one of many. I went to college and played football. I was 6’3 and 250 pounds. I played sports throughout high school and in the Army and was very athletic. The Army was something I was always interested in so in March 2006, I joined the military. It was really a great experience. When I lost my arms and legs, I had to accept it as a new challenge. Not every day was roses, but I was very fortunate to be alive and knew I had to be patient. I set my goals and every day was a new step forward. I took my first steps within a few months later on June 7, 2012. I am very thankful for Walter Reed.”
Travis is one of just five quadruple-amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive their injuries and knew he had an important story to tell. “I had a lot of people who wanted me to tell my story and I felt it could really help,” he said. “It started out as a short film that turned into a 30-minute documentary and then a one-hour documentary to a feature film.”
Featuring powerful interviews and emotional reenactments from Travis and Kelsey Mills, and fellow soldiers who witnessed the events of April 10th,Travis: A Soldiers Story takes a look at the life of a wounded solider as he faces the unimaginable physical and emotional challenges of this life-altering injury.
“I have a daughter who turned three this year and I can go out to lunch with my wife,” he said. “I can take my dog to the park. I found out what is important in life. I am fortunate to be here. There are guys that didn’t make it home. It’s important for me to look at what I have and not what I don’t have. Some of the best friends I have are guys I recovered with at Walter Reed.”
For more information on the movie, visit www.travisthemovie.com or check out the new trailer at https://vimeo.com/107721019.
