It Takes a Village…
Together, we can make a difference for our service members.
U.S. Army (Ret.) Captain Derick Carver always dreamed of becoming an Army Ranger, and that vision led him to serve his country. He still remembers January 19, 2010, the ill-fated day that dramatically altered his dream. Derick was leading his unit outside of Kandahar, Afghanistan and assisting with the re-opening of a children’s school that had been sabotaged. As they moved in to clear the area, the Taliban launched a brutal attack with a lethal combination of rockets and bombs, blasting through Derick’s entire unit. He sustained unimaginable injuries including the loss of his left leg above the knee, part of his right thigh, and severe damage to both hands. As Derick’s adrenaline soared, he continued to give commands, insisting that the most severely wounded be taken first by Medevacs, even though he knew he was bleeding out on the ground. Tragically, two in his unit did not survive and eight others were seriously wounded.
Four days later, Derick arrived at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The months ahead included nearly 60 surgeries, 50 blood transfusions and five plasma transfusions. He has continued to receive treatment at WRNMMC for the last decade, including Osseointegration in 2018. This ground-breaking treatment for above-the-knee amputation requires two surgeries and an intensive, lengthy rehabilitation. During this stay, Derick met YRF staff and was offered a fully-furnished apartment for his out-patient rehabilitation. Housing for this life-changing surgery is not covered and would not have been possible without YRF’s support, which made all the difference, according to Derick.
Although Derick qualified as an Army Ranger, he never made it to Battalion. He now has new dreams and is an outspoken advocate, inspiring veterans facing similar challenges. He continues to receive treatment at WRNMMC for his battle injuries, which he works fervently to overcome. His passion for adaptive fitness has earned him numerous impressive awards including World’s Strongest Disabled Man, World and U.S. Titles, among others.
“What I admire most about Yellow Ribbon Fund is that they remain true to their mission, consistently. They don’t spend money on TV ads, and they may not be world-famous, but they make a positive difference every day for veterans like me.”
– Derick Carver
