Wounded warriors compete in adaptive sports

Well now one of Tampa Bay's best known wounded warriors whose mission on the home front started really as an admirable effort just to keep fellow injured veterans active. But it has since blossomed into an adaptive sports championship empire. Every Tuesday and Thursday night the Leland Exchange Center comes to life as adaptive athletes find their new selves and fine tune their championship form. Mike DeLancey looks on glowing with pride. What do you make of what you've done with your life in the past 20 years? I mean, it's been crazy. In a way, it's been a blessing. Like, I would have never done anything near what I've been able to accomplish had I not got hurt. A powerful admission for someone who nearly lost his life in Iraq. On patrol with a 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines India Company in 2006, a sniper's bullet nearly took his life, but instantly changed it. I was trying to yell out, I'm hit, and nothing was coming out. For the next month and a half after that, like, I don't remember anything. My dad was in D.C. at the time, and when I was in Germany, they were telling him every other day, get ready to go to Germany to say goodbye to your son. He'd get a second chance, but not without a wheelchair. Yet rather than sulk, he found a new way to stand, standing for all those like him now adapting to a new life. He and his father opened the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch in Pinellas Park in 2015, a place for injured vets and others to remain active. A short time later, their adaptive sports teams are now internationally recognized. Their wheelchair rugby is the top team in the world. Their basketball, handball, and softball teams are all ranked in the top ten. I didn't want to get back into a chair ever again. Master Sergeant Mike Haley remains an active Army Ranger. He lost control of his leg after a spinal cord injury. And he loves this competition now, but more importantly, helping and encouraging others whose injuries are more severe than his. So it wasn't a returning to who they were before, but realizing that tomorrow can be fine because you can find something new. Linas Pagano was born in Lithuania. Complications from polio have put him in a wheelchair. We all have struggles and fight demons in our own way. And adaptive sports was one of the biggest outlets in my life on who I am today. I feel like my life wouldn't be as fulfilled as where I am today. So we got that. Delancey hears that often, especially here in their adaptive gym that's been customized for those in wheelchairs. A new source of purpose and of confidence. One in particular told Mike recently he not only saved his marriage, but his life. He started playing rugby. He got extremely into fitness. He made Team USA, and now he's a better man than he was before he got hurt. Healthier, stronger, and happier. Yeah, exactly. Reigniting competitive fires that many thought they'd never see again born out of an undeniably courageous and giving heart. As we get older we start to like think about like you know did I make impact on this life and I would not have nearly made that kind of impact had I not got hurt. Wow. He's amazing. We've featured Mike many times. I'm so proud of him. We're all so proud of what he's done. But think about what he's saying there. I mean, he's admitting that, you know, because I've gotten shot, I'm able to do all of this. And it, you know, it takes a lot to say that. But he's got such a great support system around him. And there are a lot of veterans, but there are just, there are, you know, about a third of them are not veterans. So they have plenty of others who for whatever reason have found themselves, you know, needing Meaning some sort of para adaptive sports. So I think they said about 30% of them are non-veterans, too. But a majority of them are, which is really neat. And it's just, it's remarkable how good they are. I mean, I'm watching that video and I'm wondering, like, how are they moving so fast? And they, I mean, they're very talented. As you said, you said they were number one in the world or something? Oh, yeah, for wheelchair rugby, yeah. And the basketball team's coming along. I mean, they're, no, they're incredible. And I think that's, once you take that competitive fire and you give them another outlet for it, you really start to see it. And it helps them with their overall health, their overall mental health, which is probably more important than anything. That's so amazing. It gives them real purpose and it's going to be really neat to see where it grows. But yeah, in just barely 11 years, that's how much they've grown. That's fantastic. Nice work, for sure. Indeed.