ABC “Extreme Makeover” Marine: Ski Patrol Hero
ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition Builds Disabled Marine House Fit for a Hero
By Art Harris, (c) www.artharris.com, all rights reserved
Like so many Marines, Staff Sgt. Daniel Gilyeat re-upped after a first Iraq tour ended in 2004. Caught in an emotional crossfire, he was fighting to save a crumbling marriage, but also felt he could “make a difference” fighting alongside his Marines.
It’s a tug-of-war that makes it tough for many warriors to leave the battlefield for home, even if they have to be carried off, like Gilyeat, who now ranks among almost 30,000 soldiers injured in a five-year war that has claimed the lives of almost 4,000 U.S. soldiers.
Disabled War Vets Will Learn to Ski at A March 30 Clinic in Snowmass, Colo.
As for Gilyeat, his humvee hit an IED on patrol; the explosion cost him his left leg, and the ordeal of the disabled hero began. Surgery. Physical rehab, then home to a tiny (980 square foot), two bedroom home.
Only, it had no handicap access for a single father on crutches or a wheelchair, four kids under 8 and a washer dryer in the basement–a perfect candidate to receive help from a big-hearted outfit called Homes for Heroes, which builds houses for disabled vets. I
In Gilyeat’s case, it paid off his old mortgage and tipped off ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition,.
The rest is four hankie history: in February, 2008, the world watched host Ty Pennington shout, “Move that bus,” as the new four bedroom, four bath house volunteers built in four days came into view.
Tough Marine Dan Gilyeat bowed his head and choked back tears. His little girls looked in wide-eyed wonderment at their fairytale palace in Kansas City, Mo. with all the trimmings: rooms with a car theme for his boys, a rain forest motif for the girls and a serene, “Asian” room to help Gilyeat chill.
Beyond grateful, the decorated Marine with a Mohawk buzz cut vowed to lend his newfound celebrity status to help other wounded warriors.
On March 30, Gilyeat will get that chance when he’s scheduled to strap on skis to join 450 other downhill heroes from all wars for a week at the 22nd National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass, Colo.
With 120 disabled troops from Iraq and Afghanistan expected, the clinic is open to U.S. military vets with brain and spinal chord injuries, amputees and others like Gilyeat undergoing treatment at VA hospitals, or suffering from visual and other impairments.
Always an athlete, from martial arts to sports, Dan says docs at the VA medical center in Kansas City “really encouraged me to try skiing.” Off skis since he was 18, he recently hit the slopes for the first time as an amputee, testing his balance on a prosthetic leg, then a single leg with outriggers. By the end of the day, he felt exhilirated to be skiing black diamond moguls.
A new dowhill hero was born.
With Gilyeat expected to strut his stuff for the cameras at the disabled vets annual ski clinic, e he’s hoping to inspire other heroes to keep fighting to overcome their injuries — and fend off the new enemies of despair and hopelessness on the homefront. He insists that no matter how severe the injury, if he can learn to ski expert slopes on one leg, “anything is possible.”
March 23rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Great story Art!
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Never give up and never give in. What fortitude.
Watched Gene Simmon’s show today between cooking and baking. I always get a pretty good giggle over his antics but his episode today had the tears flowing.
His daughter had a paper due and he set up a stint at boot camp. There were funny moments until Gene decided to honor the troops. Then his daughter and himself went to a VA hospital to talk with the vets. Most from the ‘Nam era. One guy that had lost his leg in Iraq.
The most touching was Gene telling a Vet how proud he was of his service and how they were true heros to keep our country free. The old man almost got choked up and said thanks. Paraphrasing ‘since I was in Nam, I really appreciate that’.
No matter what war or the circumstances on how or why they enlist, all who give us our rights should be honored and thanked.
Made my Easter that much sweeter.
March 24th, 2008 at 3:53 am
What did happen to his wife, and mother to those children?
My mother had her first child at 16, while my dad was…well, I think ‘at that point’ he was in Normandy, then…and, that first child died within a month of his birth, so my Dad got to come home, briefly, for his funeral and get my mother pregnant again.
Then my next brother was born, and my Dad didn’t get to see him for months, but when he did they lived in a 1-room shack on a dirt farm with nothin’ but buckets of boiled water they put under their bed to keep them warm at night, and those old green, ‘army issued’ wool blankets.
It seems my dad never really bonded with that ‘second child,’ yet he bonded with the third, and held him newly born, and still ‘wet.’ That ‘one’ died early, too.
Then, came me and my cradle or ‘crib’ was either a laundry basket or a dresser drawer….
They say babies don’t remember, but I think I do.
I remember a ‘blue light’ and bright stars, while lying awake in that drawer at night.
While my parents were completely worn out, and slept.
Anyway, I know it’s hard to imagine, but I wish that ‘mother’ would come back. Because I know, she loves them.
It takes ‘guts’ to admit you’re wrong, or that you’re weak, or that you need to be forgiven. Oh, but the ‘glory’ is worth it.
March 24th, 2008 at 5:32 am
…and ‘they’ call them ‘fallin’ soldiers’…I don’t think that’s right.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:59 am
I love PBS…
ABC and CBS…come in 2nd and 3rd…
The ‘rest’ are last.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:26 am
This story,made my day,You have no idea,how upset I get knowing the are Veterans,WHO ARE HOMELESS. WHO HAVE TO FIGHT THE VERY GOVERNMENT,WHO MADE THEM A VET.,THERE ARE SIGNS ON THE TURNPIKE,SAYING HELP THE HOMELESS VET, IT IS A DISGRACE,Near me ,we have otis air base,there are a lot of homes on the base empty,NO vet should have to go without,medical help.of any kind,and no one should have to go without a home.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Wonderful story. I wish all of the “wounded warriors” would be taken care of as well. Although they are a volunteer member, who enlisted to serve our nations interests, they should not be regarded as collateral damage and neglected after returning home.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
This is a great story Art . We need to see somrthing positive about what is happening to our returning Veterans.There is so much that is negative out there that it is a real treat so see the help this family got.It might make others want to do something positive also. While I am sure he will still have jis demons to fight this should make things a little less worrisome for him and his family
March 24th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I am thrilled, that in spite of the differing opinions about the war, our soldiers are being treated like the hero’s they are.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Art Harris,no one have to be forget! No one
March 25th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Very good story. It tugs at the heart.But where is his wife?
March 26th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
It’s real hard to take care of children…maybe just as hard as going to war.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
I’d be real proud to have this woman come back to a home just like she’d also come back from serving in war.
Hope she has remarried.
Guess I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one…never mind the song, it’s a little creepy.
The most important thing is the harmony.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Hope she has NOT remarried.
Major TYPO.
March 29th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I foresee a ‘Grand Finale’ with Hillary and Bill on stage on TV….presenting before us…
Talking like real people, and getting on with the show.
Fall for it, if you want.
It’s coming you wait and see.
They will look happy and intimate and hold hands and hug.
Right before our very eyes on Cathode Ray Tubes…just before the final election…betcha.
Meanwhile McCain can’t even raise his arms and we don’t honor those true hero’s…risen soldiers…enlisted just to earn money, or have a job…or, for what a lot of them do…fight for the rest of us.
Just like those garbage men that pick up our trash weekly…
Don’t want to compare…is it too, ugly?
You decide!
October 11th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Fall for it, I t’will…
Just real.