Soldier

I'm the same person. I got a grenade thrown at me. Situation turned out how it did. Now I'm just trying to do good things.

And when things get tough, trust there is a bigger plan and that you will be stronger for it.

Scars can be a good story. I survived and I am proud of them. I didn't want it, obviously. The girls definitely like them.

The Taliban are terrible shots. At the end of some long patrols, we'd be walking through the fields and get shot at - and we'd just keep walking.

We have this one body we've been given, so whether you run, kayak, swim, bike, on some basic level, we need to take care of our bodies.

It's human nature for everyone to say 'what if,' but I try to snap out of it as quickly as I can because I'm never going to be able to go back and change what has happened.

I always tell people to appreciate the little things in life... Things like driving on a nice day with the windows down, and the fact that you can get a good education or you have a good job.

As far as me being inspirational to other combat-wounded guys, I would say that it's the opposite. To see guys at Walter Reed that I recovered with every day and they were missing every single one of their limbs - that is what I would say is inspiring.

I graduated from college December of 2017 and looking ahead and thinking about potentially starting a book, I just kept getting hung up before even starting because I didn't want to write a book that only people that have served in the military or that have been to combat could understand.

Early on in my recovery, the entire United States seemed to be supportive. Letters flooded in from all over the place, so from the second I woke up in the hospital, I've always had a great team and great people.

I'm very pleased with how far I've come, and I see my injuries and my scars and all my buddies and everybody that was at Walter Reid with me, you know I see it almost as a form of character.

I think for guys who get severely injured and can't move forward, it's because the 'what-ifs' absolutely destroy their recovery.

Everyone can relate to struggle.

I want to show people no matter what they go through there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

If we don't spend our time on this earth looking out for one another, what are we really doing with our lives?

The blast blew most of my teeth out, I have screws and plates in my face, I lost the eye.

I have two younger brothers. They are twins and their names are Bryce and Payton.

9/11 did not really impact me, but I remember sitting in my 6th grade math class. I remember the teachers just being in a panic and turning on our TVs and I remember the impact in the look of just disbelief and sadness and shock that was on my teacher's face.

As Marines, it's drilled into us... to take care of fellow Marines.

I was first and foremost a fellow Gamecock and friend before a Medal of Honor recipient.