A true inspiration

stormbringer

stormbringer

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At the FNH 3 gun match there was a competitor that should be an inspiration to us all. His name is Chris F.
He is a double leg amputee as well as I understand having only one eye as a result of combat injuries.
I first noted him walking on the range with the use of a cane and did not even clue in that he had no legs. I figured he just had a bum leg of some sort.

It was not till I saw him shoot that I realized the truth of the situation and just what sort of man he is.

Here is a pic of him shooting stage 7 which was a baseball stage with 3 bases, 1st base handgun, 2nd rifle and 3rd shotgun. The rules said that you had to keep your foot on the base while shooting or you get a procedural for each shot fired. The stage was set on a downward slope making it somewhat treacherous for the able bodied.....

What did Chris do? Simple...........he took off his leg, sat the foot on the base satisfying the requirement and shot the position( using his leg as a support) Put his leg back on and moved to 3rd base (shotgun).







At an earlier stage you were required to start kneeling and shoot from a small "bunker" with a small port which required a kneeling position. Chris politely indicated to the RO that he cannot kneel.......the RO asked why and Chris said....."because I do not have knees". In the end he sort of crouched for the start position and they gave him a bucket to sit on to shoot the bunker.

In watching him shoot I could only wonder if I have what it takes as a man to take on challenges like that in such stride (pun intended). He truly was an inspiration to everyone even without meaning to.
 
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The picture doesn't display for me. Thanks for sharing this with us Mr. Storm. I have a very minor problem by comparison with my legs and knees that makes some shooting difficult. In casual matches in Texas, I can't shoot from the specified positions or struggle a bit too much to be totally safe with a hot gun. The guys down there let me shoot from where ever I can and just take procedurals as necessary. I'm also slow but have never heard a complaint.

We see the occasional disabled veteran at our matches often equipped with a prosthesis. They are very much valued members of the shooting communities.

I have great respect for shooters in the organised disciplines partly because of the fellowship that is demonstrated at our venues. I try to sell our sports whenever I can and use my experiences to demonstrate the quality of shooters and the sports in general.

Your story starts my day on a great note with a measure of humility and gratitude for what I enjoy as a result of being a shooter. Thanks again for sharing.
 
I saw this on enos....that leg looks like artificial support to me!

Bump him to open! lol

The video

[youtube]zKG-dtX7GbI[/youtube]
 
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That's awesome!
If you get a chance read "Fearless" the Adam Brown story
Adam Brown got accepted to try out for Seal team Six, shortly before he began selection training he lost the use of his right hand and eye and had to learn to shoot left eye left hand to pass the Seal Team Six testing and passed. Think about what that's like, imagine right before your Black Badge course having to learn to use your other hand and eye to shoot with and still pass the course, now mutiply the difficulty several times over.
Now imagine doing all that while fighting Drug addiction.....
Unfreaking believable.
 
Always good to see people out there that have that kind of drive no matter what.
There is a USPSA shooter in Alaska that is in a wheel chair and has his holster and mag pouches rigged up to the chair. He does the COF's as everyone else does. It's impressive.
 
Great post Storm. These word are so insignificant but, Hats off to Chris and thankyou for your service. Above and beyond what anyone should have to endure.
Reminded me of a couple or three people I have shot with. The hardship and pain these peole went thru to continue their sport is an inspiration to me. One of who i speak has very very little lung capacity left from yrs of work in a welding shop. When he was still active he did what he could and never missed a work bee at the range. The best thing about Cougar (cowboy handle) was that he made every attempt to make sure his son had the opportunity to go shooting with him until his son moved away to start his own profesional life.
The second fellow had an injury while working on a drilling rig. Wizzard (again a cowboy handle) can stand and move around a bit if he has something to lean on but requires a wheel chair to move from stage to stage and when it's his turn to shoot, he goes thru considerable discomfort to stand and do the scenario as close as possible to the way it was written. I've had the privilege and honor of timer/op for him when he shoots quite a few times and the pain is obvious on his face but the smile when he is done a stage is unforgetable.
The third (Hammerhead) is a fellow that also requires a wheel chair to get from stage to stage as Wizzard does. While Hammerhead is as insirational as the preceding two people, a real part of his story is the son that he and his wife have raised. A lot of threads in this forum mention young people who are little bastards that are "just turning thier life around", Tom is not one of these. I don't know his exact age but he is in his "beginning adult years". Tom never misses a beat when it comes to helping his dad continue the shooting sports. He makes sure his dads handicap isn't a burden to anyone at a shoot, he gets the guns to the loading table, loads them, stages them,retrieves the guns and the brass after the scenario is done.

Sorry for the ramble but it's just a pleassure to acknowledge and shoot with such good people.
 
I'm always bragging about the overall quality of the shooting experience I've enjoyed largely due to the people I've met along the way. I'm convinced that the sports attract high-quality people and furthermore help to develop an attractive collective persona. I suppose I could say the same about other activities that demand discipline and structure but the qualities just seem to stand out with shooters.

I started these games at a mature age and so don't have the physical abilities of a 25 year old. Because of my slight disabilities, I'm slow particularly in stages that involve movement, bending or going prone. I do my best but my version of running is a somewhat laughable wobble/stagger. Throughout my experiences both here and "south of the border", my efforts have been invariably supported with encouragement and friendliness. In fact, to me, the fellowship to be found in the shooting sports is outstanding.

I've heard the advice "stick with the winners" many times. A lot of people will recognize that this has nothing to do with competitive results. I feel very grateful for being a part of our various organizations.
 
Amazing fellow. I cannot describe the emotional impact I experience when I see someone refusing to become a victim. The mental and physical fortitude involved in Mr F's life choices should be an inspiration to us all. Thanks for posting SB.
 
Great exercise in creative thinking and turning the situation to your advantage! Hats off to Chris for his service, for his mental fortitude to deal with a crate of lemmons and for using his noggin!
 
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