Life Is Worth The Risk - Matthew O'Connor
Army Veteran Matthew O'Connor made the trek to Destination... Having read the above statement you wouldn't think it to be a huge breakthrough and a massive personal accountability win for Matthew.
Matthew O'Connor is a United States Army Veteran. While deployed in Iraq his platoon was hit with an IED which caused several traumatic injuries which ultimately took him out of commission and he wasn't able to serve anymore.
Matthews road back to normal civilian life would be anything but easy and over the course of several years it would get much worse. "I had nightmares the first night back at home."
Matthew had severe PTSD along with traumatic brain injuries which caused many facets of his life to unravel. Through more than a few dark and darker years Matthew saw no light in sight and thoughts started circulating around ending his life.
I saw the world against me. Everything was against me. I never took the responsibility to do or change anything.
Finally a corner was turned and Matthew started to dig himself out of the vicious mental and physical cycle that had become his life.
I started to get into a training routine. Then I found camaraderie and people I could reach out to who I care about and who care about me.
After feeling like he was alone to face all of his hurdles by himself for so many years Matthew found a place where he could reach out for community and purpose. He was quick to dive in more and more and then finally (in less than 18 months) he made the trip to Destination to meet up with Michael Johansson, Jake Brucker and the GASP and Better Bodies team.
I know how I am. I was very excited to come here so I booked my flight and purposefully didn't get the trip insurance to make me follow through with it. I want to continue this momentum. I have proof that when I take those risks I get rewarded.
Matthew's story is far more in depth than what can be put into words here.