Nick Kimmel grew up in a small town in central Washington. Although Nick was offered a baseball scholarship out of high school, he felt called to serve his country and joined the United States Marine Corps in 2008.

On December 1, 2011, while on deployment in Afghanistan, Nick’s unit was building a patrol base for the Georgian Army just south of the Kajaki Dam. During construction, Nick was standing on the forks of a TRAM (military forklift) ensuring a guard post’s roof was square. When Nick jumped from the forks, he landed on a 40-pound improvised explosive device (IED). As a result of the blast, Nick lost both of his legs and his left arm. He is one of a handful of triple amputees who survived his injuries.

Nick woke up three days later at Walter Reed National Medical Center. While there, he endured several surgeries every other day for an entire month. On January 1, 2012, Nick flew with his father to Naval Medical Center San Diego to begin his outpatient and physical therapy care. Nick’s doctors told him it would take thirteen-fifteen months to walk on prosthetics. Nick surpassed their expectations and began walking in just seven months. Nick was even able to fly to Japan with his father for his unit’s homecoming.

“I feel honored and blessed every day for the benefits I’ve received from Gary and his incredible team. Not only as a recipient of a customized specially adapted smart home, but also a beneficiary of multiple programs run by the Gary Sinise Foundation. My home is a huge part of creating a return to independence and normality in my life. There are thousands of veteran-based nonprofits, but the personal touch and sense of family you get from Gary and his team are unprecedented. I don’t know that there’s a better man, human, philanthropist, than Gary. His sense of duty to veterans and our military is echoed through his entire staff. I’m deeply honored to represent the Foundation as an Ambassador and continue Gary’s sentiment that “we can always do a little more.”

– Nick Kimmel