[ad_1]
LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — This Veterans Day, Spectrum News wants to recognize those in our community who have served our country like Army Veteran Carl Moore.
Injured in the line of duty, the Land O’ Lakes vet and Purple Heart recipient said he hopes other veterans and military families can access resources like he has.
Moore joined the Army in 2008.
He said he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself.
During his second deployment, he was trapped on a dirt road with no cover.
“I was on the ground, firing back from the prone, and it felt like something blew up, like a cinnamon firecracker,” he said. “I don’t know why I smelled cinnamon, but when I tried to get off the ground, I couldn’t.”
Unable to walk, Moore pulled himself to safety with just his arms.
He would later find out that a bullet had clipped his T-10 vertebrae, among other injuries.
He didn’t know what life would be like moving forward, but with support from his wife and the nonprofit Semper Fi & America’s Fund, he has come a long way.
“Any time I have reached out, they’ve been there, period,” he said.
Michelle Hall, the director of case management for the nonprofit, met Moore in 2013.
The organization has helped with more than just his injuries.
His house was struck by lightning a few years ago, destroying every electrical item in his home.
Semper Fi & America’s Fund provided support as Moore waited for his homeowners’ insurance to come through.
“It’s a lifelong relationship,” Hall said. “We meet them at bedside. We follow them through the whole recovery, and we stay with them even in the end. We say it’s today together. Today, tomorrow, together.”
Moore said his relationship with the nonprofit is something he values and he hopes others in situations like his know that there are organizations here to help.
“We answered the call of our nation,” he said. “And you know, there’s a lot of us out here that deal with challenges every day because of it, and a lot of those challenges can be mitigated with support.”
[ad_2]
Matt Lackritz
Source link