An Unexpected Hero Gave This Wounded, Depressed Marine A Reason To Live

Marines have to face many difficult situations, but being deployed isn’t necessarily the worst.

Sometimes, coming home is even harder because they’re surrounded by civilians who could never understand the hardships they’ve faced. This is especially true for the brave souls who lose limbs while fighting for their country.

For U.S. Marine Corps veteran Brian Aft, life became unbearable after he lost both of his legs. After sinking into depression, he turned to drugs and hit rock-bottom. He wasn’t sure he wanted to live anymore, but after meeting a retired football player, he came back to life.

This is Marine Corps veteran Brian Aft when he was deployed in 2011.

He was walking behind his fellow marines one day when he stepped on an IED and the world around him erupted into complete chaos.

He ended up losing both of his legs and was in constant agony.

Though he went through more than 30 surgeries, he never got relief from the pain.

Doctors believed he was trying to abuse his medications when he told them that they weren’t working, so he resorted to using heroin.

He had fallen into such deep despair that he kept a gun with him at night. He was nearing the decision to end his left when David Vobora, a former professional linebacker, approached him on the street.

Sensing that Aft needed something to live for, Vobora asked him to come train at his gym.

For the next three months, Aft went to that gym and worked with Vobora to find new ways to strengthen his body.

He could feel himself growing stronger with each day — even his pain levels were decreasing.

As Vobora puts it, “I watched the life come back to his eyes.”

Though he’s never lost a limb, Vobora understands what it feels like to be hopeless. After suffering from a traumatic shoulder injury and losing his football career, he quickly became addicted to pain medications.

Luckily, he was able to fight off his addiction with the support of his family. Wanting a new start, he decided to open a gym in Texas and began training elite athletes.

Though his new career was very lucrative, it all changed when he met Sergeant Travis Mills, a quadruple amputee who inspired him to open up the Adaptive Training Foundation, a gym for wounded warriors.

Now Vobora inspires a thirst for life in many U.S. heroes who have lost limbs.

He gives them the push they need to take back their lives.

And he helps them realize that they are capable of doing more than they ever thought possible.

What an incredibly inspiring story. Here’s hoping that Vobora reignites more spirits for many years to come. You can learn more about this amazing gym on Facebook.