Galloway opens convention with story of redemption
Double amputee, reality show star and Legionnaire Noah Galloway opened The American Legion’s 97th annual National Convention with an inspiring story about his recovery from a roadside bomb in Iraq 10 years ago.
“War is a difficult and challenging thing to endure,” said Galloway, who served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division until he suffered severe injuries Dec. 19, 2005. “For me, I was injured in my second deployment and woke up in a hospital and knew my military career was over when two of my limbs were gone. I fell into a deep, dark depression.”
He recalled that he met a Vietnam War-era veteran at a veterans event, and they talked about the casualties of war. “He said, ‘Noah, when I came home from Vietnam, I could have been like so many of my buddies. I could have given up. I could have quit. But I decided I didn’t want to be another statistic.’ He said that he didn’t want war to define him.”
Initially, Galloway thought the man’s story was different because they came from different backgrounds. “But I was wrong. I was wrong to think that.”
In time, Galloway realized that for the sake of his three children, it was up to him to teach his children how to overcome difficult circumstances. He changed his diet and began working out. He finished road races, obstacle course races, marathons and even climbed a couple of mountains.
“Anything that people thought a person missing two limbs shouldn’t do, I will go after,” he said. “That’s what really helped me.”
His dedication earned him the cover of Men’s Health magazine as its 2014 Ultimate Men’s Health Guy, becoming the first veteran and first amputee to be featured.
And this past season, he was invited to appear on “Dancing With the Stars” even though he had never danced previously. Galloway accepted and surpassed his goal of lasting two weeks. He made it to the finals, finishing in third place. “I am very proud of that. I wasn’t there to win first place. What I am proud of is doing every dance on that show.
“I learned a lot about myself. It literally has changed my life being on that show because it broadened my platform of being able to talk about what’s important to me.”
He specifically talked about the importance of sharing his message with veterans and children.
“There is a veteran out there who is struggling, but hearing stories — not just mine but so many others — of people who made it through, pulled themselves out of the darkness, found help is encouraging to them. Because that is exactly what happened to me when I was speaking with that chief warrant officer back in Birmingham, Alabama.”
Galloway credited the Legion for its commitment to youth education.
“What we teach them, what we show them, will define what they do in the future,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons that The American Legion is important to me. The missions we take on to teach the children about the rights and responsibilities through our many youth programs.”
After speaking, Galloway and American Legion National Commander Mike Helm presented the youth champions, including 2015 Boys Nation President Aravind Byju, of Sarasota, Fla.
“These three individual organizations represent the commitment to God and country,” Byju said, specifying the Legion, Sons of The American Legion and the Auxiliary.
“The greatest quality of this nation is the hardest to define: our American spirit,” he recalled, explaining what he learned at Boys Nation and Boys State. “This spirit, it is one of daring, determination and fate. Our founding fathers had the courage to fight a war many thought they would lose. This spirit also put the Wright brothers in the sky and Neil Armstrong on the moon. This American spirit means that all men are created equal.”
“The faith and idealism is truly American, whether we like it or not. America is the greatest country in the world because we believe that we are.”