Travis Mills is one of those wonderful men who has served our country. In April 2012, while in Afghanistan, Travis was severely wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) which he miraculously survived but became a quadruple amputee as a result.
Tough As They Come is his story.
From the first chapter I was enthralled. I cannot even begin to imagine what soldiers go through while in combat and to hear Travis tell it with such detail paints such a vivid picture. After hearing a brief summary of what happened on April 10, 2012 Travis takes us back through the journey that led to that fateful day.
Travis was your typical all-American guy who had a pretty normal childhood. Hearing Travis tell about his high school days and the wonderful relationship he has with his family is heartwarming. How he chose the army and hearing all the details of basic training was pretty neat, especially for someone who had thought about going into the army herself. Truth be told, I don't think I could've handled it, but Travis thrived. He found his calling.
Travis telling about his tours in Afghanistan in such detail really put you into that world. War has always been something that makes me cringe despite knowing it's a necessary evil. Hearing Travis tell his story you can feel the brotherhood. My favorite part of his story was hearing Travis tell about how he met and married his wife and the birth of his daughter. Beautiful!
Your heart breaks when you read the details about the events of April 10, 2012 and the tough journey that followed. You feel both the physical and emotional pain and frustration that Travis feels as he comes to grips and learns to deal with no longer having arms or legs.
After being visited in the hospital by another amputee, having a wonderful medical staff, and the love and support of family and friends, Travis began the journey to a new normal. I love how through it all Travis has had such a positive outlook and a wonderful sense of humor. I laughed a few times reading this book actually.
Travis has chosen to not focus on his disability but on the many blessings that he has in his life. He even helps others through public speaking engagements and a retreat that he opened for other wounded soldiers and their families. For many, an ordeal like this would tear a family apart but it's only made his family stronger. Every one of us needs people like Travis and his wife in our lives. Strong. Dependable. Never wavering.
After reading Travis' story, one can not help but be motivated. If this man can overcome everything that he has overcome, being a quadruple amputee, then surely the rest of us can overcome the obstacles that we face. I know for me, my obstacles pale in comparison to what this brave and wonderful man has endured.
Travis lives by the motto:
"Never give up. Never quit."
I think this is a motto that we should all adopt. If Travis isn't going to quit, than neither am I!
To Travis, and all the other men and women that serve this great nation of ours, I say thank you. Thank you for your service and all the sacrifices that you and your families make and have made to help keep our country free.
To find out more about Travis Mills check out his website. You can also follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review
Sounds like a great read...thank you for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read...thank you for sharing with us.
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