By Debbie Gregory.
A Special Forces soldier dove into stormy waves to save a drowning girl. But the water was shallow, breaking the soldier’s neck and leaving the hero paralyzed.
However, Sgt. 1st Class Tim Brumit, is determined to walk again, and resume a normal life through determination, spiritual faith and the expertise of his doctors.
A sudden storm at Crab Island churned up winds and crashing waves. Hearing screams that a child was drowning, Brumit rushed to help. The 32 year old Green Beret dove off a pontoon boat anchored off a beach community near his post at Eglin Air Force Base after spotting the 13 year old girl as she struggled in the surf. Brumit dove in without giving it a second thought.
He later said that he had misjudged the waves passing under his boat, not realizing how shallow the water was at that spot.
After his head hit the sand, a fellow soldier pulled Brumit’s body onto a surfboard to wait for help. Other boaters saved the girl.
“I’ve been through tougher. This is not gonna set me back,” he said. Brumit has deployed 11 times in the past 12 years as a member of the 7th Special Forces Group.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Colby Maher has been treating Brumit at the Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. He is being moved in the next few days to the Atlanta Spine Center. Emergency surgeries have enabled Brumit to regain the use of his arms, and he amazes physical therapists with his dedication and hard work during his rehabilitation.
Throughout his recovery, he has embraced the family motto instilled by his father: “what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.”
“That’s how we special operations guys look at it.” He challenged the physical therapist, “What’s your record? I’ll beat it,’
Randy Brumit said his son has told his surgeon from his bed, “I’m going to walk back in and shake your hand and thank you for what you’ve done with me.”
He knows that seeing his son walk again is “very far away.” He has created a Facebook page to provide updates on his son.
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The True Definition of a Hero: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory
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